Insulin glargine/lixisenatide in type 2 diabetes: a profile of its use

Subcutaneous insulin glargine/lixisenatide [Suliqua (R) 100/33 and 100/50 (EU); Soliqua (R) 100/33 (USA)] is a titratable, fixedratio combination of a long-acting basal insulin analogue + a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) approved to treat inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adults. Once-daily insulin glargine/lixisenatide provided glycaemic control better than that of insulin glargine or lixisenatide in insulin-naive patients (when added to metformin) and better than that of insulin glargine in insulin-experienced patients (when used +/- metformin) in phase 3 trials in adults with inadequately controlled T2D. It also had a beneficial effect on bodyweight and did not increase the frequency of hypoglycaemia versus insulin glargine. Insulin glargine/lixisenatide is generally well tolerated and offers the convenience of once-daily administration of two subcutaneous antihyperglycaemic agents. It is, therefore, a valuable option for improving glycaemic control in adults with T2D when this has not been provided by metformin alone or metformin + another oral antihyperglycaemic agent or + basal insulin.