Basaglar

Basaglar is a brand name for insulin glargine, a long-acting recombinant human insulin analog used to improve glycemic control in adults and children with diabetes mellitus. It provides a basal level of insulin over a 24-hour period and is designed to mimic natural insulin secretion for steady blood glucose management between meals and overnight. Basaglar is produced by Eli Lilly and Company, developed in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, and marketed in the United States as Basaglar and in the European Union as Abasaglar. It is considered a biosimilar to Sanofi’s Lantus (insulin glargine), meaning it is highly similar in structure and pharmacologic effect with no clinically meaningful differences in safety, purity, or potency.

Basaglar is administered by subcutaneous injection once daily, or as prescribed, and is available in vials and prefilled pens at 100 units per milliliter. Dosing is individualized based on body weight, diet, self-monitoring of blood glucose, and response to therapy. The onset of action is typically within 1 to 2 hours, with a relatively flat activity profile and no pronounced peak, providing approximately 24 hours of glucose-lowering effect.

Common adverse effects include hypoglycemia, weight gain, edema, and injection-site reactions. Hypoglycemia is the principal safety concern and requires careful monitoring, dose adjustment, and patient education on recognizing and managing low blood sugar. Basaglar should not be used in patients with hypoglycemia or in those who cannot tolerate caloric intake, and patients should be monitored for allergic reactions and lipodystrophy with long-term use.

See also: Lantus, Abasaglar, insulin glargine.