Nasal Glucagon Study in Phase 3
SAN DIEGO — Giving one puff of a dry glucagon powder inside the nose of an adult with type 1 diabetes who was having a moderate to severe hypoglycemic episode was easy for a caregiver to do and led to recovery within 30 minutes in almost all patients in a phase 3 study.
Specifically, the treated patients recovered from hypoglycemia within a half hour in 96% of cases, and 90% of the caregivers (typically a spouse) found the product easy to use, Elizabeth R Seaquist, MD, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, reported at the recent American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2017 Scientific Sessions.
"We conclude that this 3-mg dose of nasal glucagon in a needle-free, user-friendly package provides a potential alternative to currently available injectable recombinant glucagon," she said.
"It really does look like [this investigational product] could be a good alternative to [intramuscular injectable] glucagon for treating severe hypoglycemia away from a hospital setting," she reiterated to Medscape Medical News.