Sanofi has launched Suliqua (insulin glargine/lixisenatide), its type II diabetes treatment, in the UK.

The approval of the once-daily injection is based on two phase III studies, LixiLan-O and LixiLan-L, which found the treatment to be statistically superior in reducing blood sugar levels in comparison with both lixisenatide and insulin glargine 100 Units/mL, and also that it demonstrated greater reductions in blood sugar levels.

The therapy, which is a once-daily titratable fixed-ratio combination of basal insulin glargine 100 Units/mL and GLP-1 receptor agonist lixisenatide, is authorised in combination with metformin for adults with type II diabetes mellitus, to improve glycaemic control when not provided by metformin alone.

The studies enrolled more than 1,900 adults with type II diabetes, which “can have a huge impact on the people it affects”, said Dr Thomas Barber, associate clinical professor in endocrinology and diabetes, “so finding treatments that are convenient and easy to use is extremely important. The simple administration of an insulin glargine/lixisenatide fixed ratio combination in a single daily injection may help to reduce the daily complexity of diabetes management.”

Suliqua was approved in the European Union in 2017, expanding treatment options for people with type II diabetes based on the same studies.