Novolog Side Effects, and Drug Interactions - Insulin Aspart [rDNA origin]

Novolog Side Effects, and Drug Interactions - Insulin Aspart [rDNA origin]

SIDE EFFECTS

Clinical trials comparing NovoLog with regular human insulin did not demonstrate a difference in frequency of adverse events between the two treatments. Adverse events commonly associated with human insulin therapy include the following:

Body as Whole - Allergic reactions (see PRECAUTIONS, Allergy).

Skin and Appendages - Injection site reaction, lipodystrophy, pruritus, rash (see PRECAUTIONS, Allergy; Information for Patients, Usage in Pumps).

Other – Hypoglycemia, Hyperglycemia and ketosis (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS).

In controlled clinical trials, small, but persistent elevations in alkaline phosphatase result were observed in some patients treated with NovoLog. The clinical significance of this finding is unknown.

A number of substances affect glucose metabolism and may require insulin dose adjustment and particularly close monitoring.

· The following are examples of substances that may increase the blood-glucose-lowering effect and susceptibility to hypoglycemia: oral antidiabetic products, ACE inhibitors, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, propoxyphene, salicylates, somatostatin analog (e.g., octreotide), sulfonamide antibiotics.

· The following are examples of substances that may reduce the blood-glucose-lowering effect: corticosteroids, niacin, danazol, diuretics, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., epinephrine, salbutamol, terbutaline), isoniazid, phenothiazine derivatives, somatropin, thyroid hormones, estrogens, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives).

· Beta-blockers, clonidine, lithium salts, and alcohol may either potentiate or weaken the blood-glucose-lowering effect of insulin. Pentamidine may cause hypoglycemia, which may sometimes be followed by hyperglycemia.

· In addition, under the influence of sympatholytic medicinal products such as beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine, and reserpine, the signs of hypoglycemia may be reduced or absent (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY).

· A clinical study in healthy male volunteers (n=24) demonstrated that mixing NovoLog with NPH human insulin immediately before injection produced some attenuation in the peak concentration of NovoLog, but that the time to peak and the total bioavailability of NovoLog were not significantly affected. If NovoLog is mixed with NPH human insulin, NovoLog should be drawn into the syringe first. The injection should be made immediately after mixing. Because there are no data on the compatibility of NovoLog and crystalline zinc insulin preparations, NovoLog should not be mixed with these preparations.

· The effects of mixing NovoLog with insulins of animal source or insulin preparations produced by other manufacturers have not been studied (see WARNINGS).

· Mixtures should not be administered intravenously.

· When used in external subcutaneous infusion pumps for insulin, NovoLog should not be mixed with any other insulins or diluent.

Standard 2-year carcinogenicity studies in animals have not been performed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of NovoLog. In 52-week studies, Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed subcutaneously with NovoLog at 10, 50, and 200 U/kg/day (approximately 2, 8, and 32 times the human subcutaneous dose of 1.0 U/kg/day, based on U/body surface area, respectively). At a dose of 200 U/kg/day, NovoLog increased the incidence of mammary gland tumors in females when compared to untreated controls. The incidence of mammary tumors for NovoLog was not significantly different than for regular human insulin. The relevance of these findings to humans is not known. NovoLog was not genotoxic in the following tests: Ames test, mouse lymphoma cell forward gene mutation test, human peripheral blood lymphocyte chromosome aberration test, in vivo micronucleus test in mice, and in ex vivo UDS test in rat liver hepatocytes. In fertility studies in male and female rats, at subcutaneous doses up to 200 U/kg/day (approximately 32 times the human subcutaneous dose, based on U/body surface area), no direct adverse effects on male and female fertility, or general reproductive performance of animals was observed.

There are no adequate well-controlled clinical studies of the use of NovoLog in pregnant women. NovoLog should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

It is essential for patients with diabetes or history of gestational diabetes to maintain good metabolic control before conception and throughout pregnancy. Insulin requirements may decrease during the first trimester, generally increase during the second and third trimesters, and rapidly decline after delivery. Careful monitoring of glucose control is essential in such patients.

Subcutaneous reproduction and teratology studies have been performed with NovoLog and regular human insulin in rats and rabbits. In these studies, NovoLog was given to female rats before mating, during mating, and throughout pregnancy, and to rabbits during organogenesis. The effects of NovoLog did not differ from those observed with subcutaneous regular human insulin. NovoLog, like human insulin, caused pre- and post-implantation losses and visceral/skeletal abnormalities in rats at a dose of 200 U/kg/day (approximately 32 times the human subcutaneous dose of 1.0 U/kg/day, based on U/body surface area) and in rabbits at a dose of 10 U/kg/day (approximately three times the human subcutaneous dose of 1.0 U/kg/day, based on U/body surface area). The effects are probably secondary to maternal hypoglycemia at high doses. No significant effects were observed in rats at a dose of 50 U/kg/day and rabbits at a dose of 3 U/kg/day. These doses are approximately 8 times the human subcutaneous dose of 1.0 U/kg/day for rats and equal to the human subcutaneous dose of 1.0 U/kg/day for rabbits, based on U/body surface area.

It is unknown whether insulin aspart is excreted in human milk. Many drugs, including human insulin, are excreted in human milk. For this reason, caution should be exercised when NovoLog is administered to a nursing mother.

Safety and effectiveness of NovoLog in children have not been studied.

Of the total number of patients (n= 1,375) treated with NovoLog in 3 human insulin-controlled clinical studies, 2.6% (n=36) were 65 years of age or over. Half of these patients had Type 1 diabetes (18/1285) and half had Type 2 (18/90) diabetes. The HbA1c response to NovoLog, as compared to human insulin, did not differ by age, particularly in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Additional studies in larger populations of patients 65 years of age or over are needed to permit conclusions regarding the safety of NovoLog in elderly compared to younger patients. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies to assess the effect of age on the onset of NovoLog action have not been performed.