Anaphylaxis and Serious Hypersensitivity Reactions : Severe, life-threatening, and generalized allergic reactions can occur. Instruct patients to discontinue use if a reaction occurs and promptly seek medical attention. Acute Pancreatitis : Has been observed in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, including SOLIQUA 100/33. Discontinue if pancreatitis is suspected. Never share a SOLIQUA 100/33 prefilled pen between patients, even if the needle is changed. Hyperglycemia or Hypoglycemia with Changes in Insulin Regimen : Make changes to a patient's insulin regimen (e.g., insulin strength, manufacturer, type, injection site or method of administration) under close medical supervision with increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring. Overdose Due to Medication Errors : SOLIQUA 100/33 contains two drugs. Instruct patients to always check the label before each injection since accidental mix-ups with insulin products can occur. Do not exceed the maximum dose or use with other GLP-1 receptor agonists. Hypoglycemia : May be life-threatening. Increase frequency of glucose monitoring with changes to insulin dosage, coadministered glucose lowering medications, meal pattern, physical activity; and in patients with renal or hepatic impairment and hypoglycemia unawareness. Acute kidney injury Due to Volume Depletion : Monitor renal function in patients reporting adverse reactions that could lead to volume depletion. SOLIQUA 100/33 is not recommended in patients with end-stage renal disease. Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions: Use has been associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe. SOLIQUA 100/33 is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis. Immunogenicity : Patients may develop antibodies to insulin glargine and lixisenatide. If there is worsening glycemic control or failure to achieve targeted glycemic control, significant injection-site reactions or allergic reactions, alternative antidiabetic therapy should be considered. Hypokalemia : May be life-threatening. Monitor potassium levels in patients at risk of hypokalemia and treat if indicated. Fluid Retention and Heart Failure with Use of PPAR-gamma agonists : Observe for signs and symptoms of heart failure; consider dosage reduction or discontinuation if heart failure occurs. Acute Gallbladder Disease : If cholelithiasis or cholecystitis are suspected, gallbladder studies are indicated. Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation: Has been reported in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures. Instruct patients to inform healthcare providers of any planned surgeries or procedures . 5.1 Anaphylaxis and Serious Hypersensitivity Reactions In clinical trials of lixisenatide there have been cases of anaphylaxis (frequency of 0.1% or 10 cases per 10,000 patient-years) and other serious hypersensitivity reactions including angioedema. Severe, life-threatening, generalized allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, generalized skin reactions, angioedema, bronchospasm, hypotension, and shock can occur with insulins, including insulin glargine. There have been postmarketing reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic reactions and angioedema, in patients treated with SOLIQUA 100/33 . Inform and closely monitor patients with a history of anaphylaxis or angioedema with another GLP-1 receptor agonist for allergic reactions, because it is unknown whether such patients will be predisposed to anaphylaxis with SOLIQUA 100/33. SOLIQUA 100/33 is contraindicated in patients with known serious hypersensitivity to lixisenatide or insulin glargine . If a hypersensitivity reaction occurs, the patient should discontinue SOLIQUA 100/33 and promptly seek medical attention
Acute Pancreatitis Acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, has been observed in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists . After initiation of SOLIQUA 100/33, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of acute pancreatitis which may include persistent or severe abdominal pain (sometimes radiating to the back) and which may or may not be accompanied by nausea or vomiting. If pancreatitis is suspected, discontinue SOLIQUA 100/33 and initiate appropriate management
Never Share a SOLIQUA 100/33 Prefilled Pen Between Patients SOLIQUA 100/33 prefilled pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed. Sharing of the pen poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens
Hyperglycemia or Hypoglycemia with Changes in Insulin Regimen Changes in insulin regimen (e.g., insulin strength, manufacturer, type, injection site or method of administration) may affect glycemic control and predispose to hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia. Repeated insulin injections into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis have been reported to result in hyperglycemia; and a sudden change in the injection site (to unaffected area) has been reported to result in hypoglycemia . Make any changes to a patient's insulin regimen under close medical supervision with increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring. Advise patients who have repeatedly injected into areas of lipodystrophy or localized cutaneous amyloidosis to change the injection site to unaffected areas and closely monitor for hypoglycemia. Adjustments in concomitant oral antidiabetic treatment may be needed. When converting from basal insulin therapy or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to SOLIQUA 100/33 follow dosing recommendations
Overdose Due to Medication Errors SOLIQUA 100/33 contains two drugs: insulin glargine and lixisenatide. Administration of more than 60 units of SOLIQUA 100/33 daily can result in overdose of the lixisenatide component. Do not exceed the 20-mcg maximum recommended dose of lixisenatide or use with other GLP-1 receptor agonists. Accidental mix-ups between insulin products have been reported. To avoid medication errors between SOLIQUA 100/33 and other insulins, instruct patients to always check the insulin label before each injection
Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia is the most common adverse reaction associated with insulin-containing products, including SOLIQUA 100/33 . Severe hypoglycemia can cause seizures, may be life-threatening or cause death. Hypoglycemia can impair concentration ability and reaction time; this may place an individual and others at risk in situations where these abilities are important (e.g., driving or operating other machinery). SOLIQUA 100/33 (an insulin-containing product), or any insulin, should not be used during episodes of hypoglycemia . Hypoglycemia can happen suddenly, and symptoms may differ in each individual and change over time in the same individual. Symptomatic awareness of hypoglycemia may be less pronounced in patients with longstanding diabetes, in patients with diabetic nerve disease, in patients using medications that block the sympathetic nervous system (e.g., beta-blockers) , or in patients who experience recurrent hypoglycemia. Risk Factors for Hypoglycemia The risk of hypoglycemia generally increases with intensity of glycemic control. The risk of hypoglycemia after an injection is related to the duration of action of the insulin and, in general, is highest when the glucose lowering effect of the insulin is maximal. As with all insulin-containing preparations, the glucose lowering effect time course of SOLIQUA 100/33 may vary in different individuals or at different times in the same individual and depends on many conditions, including the area of injection as well as the injection-site blood supply and temperature . Other factors which may increase the risk of hypoglycemia include changes in meal pattern (e.g., macronutrient content or timing of meals), changes in level of physical activity, or changes to coadministered medication . Patients with renal or hepatic impairment may be at higher risk of hypoglycemia . Risk Mitigation Strategies for Hypoglycemia Patients and caregivers must be educated to recognize and manage hypoglycemia. Self-monitoring of blood glucose plays an essential role in the prevention and management of hypoglycemia. In patients at higher risk for hypoglycemia and patients who have reduced symptomatic awareness of hypoglycemia, increased frequency of blood glucose monitoring is recommended. The long-acting effect of insulin glargine may delay recovery from hypoglycemia
Acute Kidney Injury Due to Volume Depletion There have been postmarketing reports of acute kidney injury, in some cases requiring hemodialysis, in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists . The majority of the reported events occurred in patients who experienced gastrointestinal reactions leading to dehydration such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea . Monitor renal function in patients reporting adverse reactions to SOLIQUA 100/33 that could lead to volume depletion, especially during dosage initiation and escalation of SOLIQUA 100/33. SOLIQUA 100/33 is not recommended in patients with end-stage renal disease
Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions Use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, including SOLIQUA 100/33, has been associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe . Severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions have also been reported postmarketing with GLP-1 receptor agonists. SOLIQUA 100/33 is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis
Immunogenicity Patients may develop antibodies to insulin and lixisenatide following treatment. A pooled analysis of studies of lixisenatide-treated patients showed that 70% were antibody positive at Week 24. In the subset of patients (2.4%) with the highest antibody concentrations (>100 nmol/L), an attenuated glycemic response was observed. A higher incidence of allergic reactions and injection-site reactions occurred in antibody positive patients . If there is worsening glycemic control or failure to achieve targeted glycemic control, significant injection-site reactions or allergic reactions, alternative antidiabetic therapy should be considered
Hypokalemia All insulin-containing products, including SOLIQUA 100/33, cause a shift in potassium from the extracellular to intracellular space, possibly leading to hypokalemia. Untreated hypokalemia may cause respiratory paralysis, ventricular arrhythmia, and death. Monitor potassium levels in patients at risk for hypokalemia if indicated (e.g., patients using potassium-lowering medications, patients taking medications sensitive to serum potassium concentrations)
Fluid Retention and Heart Failure with Concomitant Use of PPAR-gamma Agonists Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma agonists, can cause dose-related fluid retention, particularly when used in combination with insulin-containing products, including SOLIQUA 100/33. Fluid retention may lead to or exacerbate heart failure. Patients treated with SOLIQUA 100/33 and a PPAR-gamma agonist should be observed for signs and symptoms of heart failure. If heart failure develops, it should be managed according to current standards of care, and discontinuation or dose reduction of the PPAR-gamma agonist must be considered
Acute Gallbladder Disease Acute events of gallbladder disease such as cholelithiasis or cholecystitis have been reported in GLP-1 receptor agonist trials and postmarketing. In a cardiovascular outcomes trial, cholelithiasis occurred in 0.4% of lixisenatide-treated patients versus 0.2% in placebo-treated patients and acute cholecystitis in 0.3% of lixisenatide-treated patients versus 0.2% in placebo-treated patients. If cholelithiasis is suspected, gallbladder studies and appropriate clinical follow-up are indicated
Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation SOLIQUA 100/33 delays gastric emptying . There have been rare postmarketing reports of pulmonary aspiration in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation who had residual gastric contents despite reported adherence to preoperative fasting recommendations. Available data are insufficient to inform recommendations to mitigate the risk of pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation in patients taking SOLIQUA 100/33, including whether modifying preoperative fasting recommendations or temporarily discontinuing SOLIQUA 100/33 could reduce the incidence of retained gastric contents. Instruct patients to inform healthcare providers prior to any planned surgeries or procedures if they are taking SOLIQUA 100/33.