LANTUS Solution for injection Ref.[50788] Active ingredients: Insulin glargine

Traceability

In order to improve the traceability of biological medicinal products, the name and the batch number of the administered product should be clearly recorded.

Lantus is not the insulin of choice for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. Instead, regular insulin administered intravenously is recommended in such cases.

In case of insufficient glucose control or a tendency to hyper- or hypoglycaemic episodes, the patient’s adherence to the prescribed treatment regimen, injection sites and proper injection technique and all other relevant factors must be reviewed before dose adjustment is considered.

Transferring a patient to another type or brand of insulin should be done under strict medical supervision. Changes in strength, brand (manufacturer), type (regular, NPH, lente, long-acting, etc.), origin (animal, human, human insulin analogue) and/or method of manufacture may result in the need for a change in dose.

Patients must be instructed to perform continuous rotation of the injection site to reduce the risk of developing lipodystrophy and cutaneous amyloidosis. There is a potential risk of delayed insulin absorption and worsened glycaemic control following insulin injections at sites with these reactions. A sudden change in the injection site to an unaffected area has been reported to result in hypoglycaemia. Blood glucose monitoring is recommended after the change in the injection site, and dose adjustment of antidiabetic medications may be considered.

Hypoglycaemia

The time of occurrence of hypoglycaemia depends on the action profile of the insulins used and may, therefore, change when the treatment regimen is changed. Due to more sustained basal insulin supply with Lantus, less nocturnal but more early morning hypoglycaemia can be expected.

Particular caution should be exercised, and intensified blood glucose monitoring is advisable in patients in whom hypoglycaemic episodes might be of particular clinical relevance, such as in patients with significant stenoses of the coronary arteries or of the blood vessels supplying the brain (risk of cardiac or cerebral complications of hypoglycaemia) as well as in patients with proliferative retinopathy, particularly if not treated with photocoagulation (risk of transient amaurosis following hypoglycaemia).

Patients should be aware of circumstances where warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia are diminished. The warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia may be changed, be less pronounced or be absent in certain risk groups. These include patients:

• in whom glycaemic control is markedly improved,
• in whom hypoglycaemia develops gradually,
• who are elderly,
• after transfer from animal insulin to human insulin,
• in whom an autonomic neuropathy is present,
• with a long history of diabetes,
• suffering from a psychiatric illness,
• receiving concurrent treatment with certain other medicinal products (see section 4.5).

Such situations may result in severe hypoglycaemia (and possibly loss of consciousness) prior to the patient’s awareness of hypoglycaemia.

The prolonged effect of subcutaneous insulin glargine may delay recovery from hypoglycaemia.

If normal or decreased values for glycated haemoglobin are noted, the possibility of recurrent, unrecognised (especially nocturnal) episodes of hypoglycaemia must be considered.

Adherence of the patient to the dose and dietary regimen, correct insulin administration and awareness of hypoglycaemia symptoms are essential to reduce the risk of hypoglycaemia. Factors increasing the susceptibility to hypoglycaemia require particularly close monitoring and may necessitate dose adjustment. These include:

• change in the injection area,
• improved insulin sensitivity (e.g., by removal of stress factors),
• unaccustomed, increased or prolonged physical activity,
• intercurrent illness (e.g. vomiting, diarrhoea),
• inadequate food intake,
• missed meals,
• alcohol consumption,
• certain uncompensated endocrine disorders, (e.g. in hypothyroidism and in anterior pituitary or adrenocortical insufficiency),
• concomitant treatment with certain other medicinal products (see section 4.5).

Intercurrent illness

Intercurrent illness requires intensified metabolic monitoring. In many cases urine tests for ketones are indicated, and often it is necessary to adjust the insulin dose. The insulin requirement is often increased. Patients with type 1 diabetes must continue to consume at least a small amount of carbohydrates on a regular basis, even if they are able to eat only little or no food, or are vomiting etc. and they must never omit insulin entirely.

Insulin antibodies

Insulin administration may cause insulin antibodies to form. In rare cases, the presence of such insulin antibodies may necessitate adjustment of the insulin dose in order to correct a tendency to hyper- or hypoglycaemia (see section 5.1).

Pens to be used with Lantus 100 units/ml in cartridges

Lantus 100 units/ml in cartridges is only suitable for subcutaneous injections from a reusable pen. If administration by syringe is necessary, a vial should be used. The Lantus cartridges should only be used with the following pens:

• JuniorSTAR which delivers Lantus in 0.5 unit dose increments
• ClikSTAR, Tactipen, Autopen 24, AllStar and AllStar PRO which all deliver Lantus in 1 unit dose increments.

These cartridges should not be used with any other reusable pen as the dosing accuracy has only been established with the listed pens.

Not all of these pens may be marketed in your country (see section 4.2 and 6.6).

Handling of the SoloStar pre-filled pen

Lantus SoloStar 100 units/ml in pre-filled pen is only suitable for subcutaneous injections. If administration by syringe is necessary, a vial should be used (see section 4.2). Before using SoloStar, the instructions for use included in the package leaflet must be read carefully. SoloStar has to be used as recommended in these instructions for use (see section 6.6).

Medication errors

Medication errors have been reported in which other insulins, particularly short-acting insulins, have been accidentally administered instead of insulin glargine. Insulin label must always be checked before each injection to avoid medication errors between insulin glargine and other insulins.

Combination of Lantus with pioglitazone

Cases of cardiac failure have been reported when pioglitazone was used in combination with insulin, especially in patients with risk factors for development of cardiac heart failure. This should be kept in mind if treatment with the combination of pioglitazone and Lantus is considered. If the combination is used, patients should be observed for signs and symptoms of heart failure, weight gain and oedema. Pioglitazone should be discontinued if any deterioration in cardiac symptoms occurs.

Excipients

This medicinal product contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) sodium per dose, i.e. it is essentially ‘sodium-free’.

A number of substances affect glucose metabolism and may require dose adjustment of insulin glargine.

Substances that may enhance the blood-glucose-lowering effect and increase susceptibility to hypoglycaemia include oral antidiabetic medicinal products, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, pentoxifylline, propoxyphene, salicylates and sulfonamide antibiotics.

Substances that may reduce the blood-glucose-lowering effect include corticosteroids, danazol, diazoxide, diuretics, glucagon, isoniazid, oestrogens and progestogens, phenothiazine derivatives, somatropin, sympathomimetic medicinal products (e.g. epinephrine [adrenaline], salbutamol, terbutaline), thyroid hormones, atypical antipsychotic medicinal products (e.g. clozapine and olanzapine) and protease inhibitors.

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

In addition, under the influence of sympatholytic medicinal products such as beta-blockers, clonidine, guanethidine and reserpine, the signs of adrenergic counter-regulation may be reduced or absent.

Pregnancy

For insulin glargine no clinical data on exposed pregnancies from controlled clinical studies are available. A large amount of data on pregnant women (more than 1000 pregnancy outcomes) indicate no specific adverse effects of insulin glargine on pregnancy and no specific malformative nor feto/neonatal toxicity of insulin glargine. Animal data do not indicate reproductive toxicity. The use of Lantus may be considered during pregnancy, if clinically needed.

It is essential for patients with pre-existing or gestational diabetes to maintain good metabolic control throughout pregnancy to prevent adverse outcomes associated with hyperglycemia. Insulin requirements may decrease during the first trimester and generally increase during the second and third trimesters. Immediately after delivery, insulin requirements decline rapidly (increased risk of hypoglycaemia). Careful monitoring of glucose control is essential.

Breast-feeding

It is unknown whether insulin glargine is excreted in human milk. No metabolic effects of ingested insulin glargine on the breast-fed newborn/infant are anticipated since insulin glargine as a peptide is digested into aminoacids in the human gastrointestinal tract. Breast-feeding women may require adjustments in insulin dose and diet.

Fertility

Animal studies do not indicate direct harmful effects with respect to fertility.

The patient’s ability to concentrate and react may be impaired as a result of hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia or, for example, as a result of visual impairment. This may constitute a risk in situations where these abilities are of special importance (e.g. driving a car or using machines).

Patients should be advised to take precautions to avoid hypoglycaemia whilst driving. This is particularly important in those who have reduced or absent awareness of the warning symptoms of hypoglycaemia or have frequent episodes of hypoglycaemia. It should be considered whether it is advisable to drive or use machines in these circumstances.

Summary of the safety profile

Hypoglycaemia (very common), in general the most frequent adverse reaction of insulin therapy, may occur if the insulin dose is too high in relation to the insulin requirement (see section 4.4).

Tabulated list of adverse reactions

The following related adverse reactions from clinical investigations are listed below by system organ class and in order of decreasing incidence (very common: ≥1/10; common: ≥1/100 to <1/10; uncommon: ≥1/1,000 to <1/100; rare: ≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000; very rare: <1/10,000; not known: cannot be estimated from the available data).

Within each frequency grouping, adverse reactions are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.

Description of selected adverse reactions

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Severe hypoglycaemic attacks, especially if recurrent, may lead to neurological damage. Prolonged or severe hypoglycaemic episodes may be life-threatening.

In many patients, the signs and symptoms of neuroglycopenia are preceded by signs of adrenergic counter-regulation. Generally, the greater and more rapid the decline in blood glucose, the more marked is the phenomenon of counter-regulation and its symptoms (see section 4.4).

Immune system disorders

Immediate-type allergic reactions to insulin are rare. Such reactions to insulin (including insulin glargine) or the excipients may, for example, be associated with generalised skin reactions, angio-oedema, bronchospasm, hypotension and shock, and may be life-threatening.

Eyes disorders

A marked change in glycaemic control may cause temporary visual impairment, due to temporary alteration in the turgidity and refractive index of the lens.

Long-term improved glycaemic control decreases the risk of progression of diabetic retinopathy. However, intensification of insulin therapy with abrupt improvement in glycaemic control may be associated with temporary worsening of diabetic retinopathy. In patients with proliferative retinopathy, particularly if not treated with photocoagulation, severe hypoglycaemic episodes may result in transient amaurosis.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Lipodystrophy and cutaneous amyloidosis may occur at the injection site and delay local insulin absorption. Continuous rotation of the injection site within the given injection area may help to reduce or prevent these reactions (see section 4.4).

General disorders and administration site conditions

Injection site reactions include redness, pain, itching, hives, swelling, or inflammation. Most minor reactions to insulins at the injection site usually resolve in a few days to a few weeks.

Rarely, insulin may cause sodium retention and oedema particularly if previously poor metabolic control is improved by intensified insulin therapy.

Paediatric population

In general, the safety profile for children and adolescents (≤18 years of age) is similar to the safety profile for adults.

The adverse reaction reports received from post marketing surveillance included relatively more frequent injection site reactions (injection site pain, injection site reaction) and skin reactions (rash, urticaria) in children and adolescents (≤18 years of age) than in adults. Clinical study safety data are not available for children under 2 years.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions

Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V.

This medicinal product must not be mixed with other medicinal products.

Lantus 100 units/ml solution for injection in a vial: It is important to ensure that syringes do not contain traces of any other material.