Insulin degludec/insulin aspart offers good glycemic control with fewer injections than basal-bolus regimen

Insulin degludec/insulin aspart (Ryzodeg, Novo Nordisk) administered twice daily, provides successful glycemic control with fewer injections than a basal-bolus regimen, according to data presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria.

In the 26-week randomized multinational phase 3b trial, patients previously treated with basal insulin were randomly assigned to a regimen of either twice-daily Ryzodeg, or a basal-bolus regimen of once-daily insulin degludec plus 2 to 4 injections of insulin aspart.

The study did not meet its primary end point of non-inferiority; however, the results showed that HbA_1c was reduced for patients on either regimen, to 7.0% and 6.8% respectively, with no significant difference between the 2 regimens.

Patients who received Ryzodeg experienced a numerically lower rate of overall and nocturnal confirmed hypoglycemic episodes, 19% and 20% less, respectively.

The study was designed to investigate 2 different regimens for patients on basal insulin who need mealtime intensification. The results show that Ryzodeg could potentially be a simple alternative to basal-bolus therapy, as it delivers successful reduction in A_1C with fewer injections than a basal-bolus regimen.

"Patients currently using basal-bolus regimens may need to take up to 4 daily injections, which can be a great burden and very inconvenient," said Dr Helena Rodbard, the study’s principal investigator and endocrinologist in Rockville, Md., in a press release. "This new treatment offers the potential for a simple alternative to basal-bolus for patients who require intensification of basal insulin regimens.”