Exubera: the world’s first inhaled insulin product

Posted on May 21, 2007
Filed Under Health |

ExuberaAre you diabetic and afraid of injections? If yes, then cheer up because Pfizer has developed Exubera a new way of delivering insulin and managing your blood sugar without the need for painful injections.

Exubera (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder is the first diabetes treatment that you can inhale. And it could change the way you manage your blood sugar. It helps control high blood sugar. It works in adults with Type 1 diabetes. It works in people with Type 2 diabetes as well.

Essentially, Exubera is a powdered form of insulin. It is administered directly to the lungs to be absorbed into the bloodstream (pulmonary delivery). So say goodby to injections. But before you do, make sure that your insurance company will cover it. U.S. insurers have limited their coverage and national health systems in Germany and England have refused to cover it at all. Part of the reason has to do with the higher cost versus more traditional methods for insulin delivery. But most importantly, there are some suspicions that the product may carry a safety risk even though Exubera has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration since early 2006.

A side effect that was noticed during clinical trials was reduced lung functionality. At first, it seemed as though this particular side effect would be a real obstacle, but after two years of postponing the effort to get approval through the FDA, it was found that this decreased functionality was temporary and non-threatening. Exubera is still not approved for use by smokers, patients with asthma, or patients with lung disease.

For more information on Exubera see the Official Site and also ExuberaReport.com.

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