What are the available brands of Lispro (insulin lispro) in India?

Available Brands of Insulin Lispro in India

Insulin lispro (Humalog) is the primary brand of insulin lispro available in India, manufactured by Eli Lilly. 1

Overview of Insulin Lispro

• Insulin lispro is a rapid-acting insulin analog with a faster onset of action (5 minutes) and earlier peak effect (1-2 hours) compared to regular human insulin 2
• It has a shorter duration of action (3-4 hours) than regular human insulin, making it ideal for mealtime insulin administration 2
• The molecular structure differs from human insulin by the transposition of two amino acids - lysine at position B28 and proline at position B29 3

Available Formulations in India

• Humalog (insulin lispro) - the primary brand name product manufactured by Eli Lilly 1
• Available in multiple formulations:
  • U-100 vials (100 units/mL) 4
  • U-100 prefilled pens 4
  • U-200 concentrated formulation (in some markets) 4

Premixed Formulations

• Humalog Mix25 (25% insulin lispro, 75% insulin lispro protamine suspension) 5
• Humalog Mix50 (50% insulin lispro, 50% insulin lispro protamine suspension) 5
• These premixed formulations provide both rapid and prolonged insulin activity 5

Clinical Advantages

• Can be administered immediately before or after meals, unlike regular human insulin which requires injection 30-40 minutes before meals 3
• Provides better postprandial glucose control with reduced risk of hypoglycemia compared to regular human insulin 1
• More closely mimics physiological insulin response to food intake 1

Practical Considerations

• While insulin lispro and insulin aspart have similar profiles, they are not considered interchangeable products and require a prescription change to switch between them 6
• Insulin lispro is suitable for use in insulin pumps with good stability profiles 6
• Cost may vary between different insulin brands, which could affect patient access and adherence 6

Common Pitfalls

• Patients must understand the rapid onset of action to avoid rapid hypoglycemia 2
• When switching from regular human insulin to insulin lispro, patients need to adjust their injection timing (from 30 minutes before meals to immediately before meals) 7
• Basal insulin regimens may need adjustment when using insulin lispro due to its shorter duration of action 3