Exubera Inhaled Insulin Discontinued :: Diabetes Self-Management

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Oct 19, 2007

Exubera Inhaled Insulin Discontinued

Tara Dairman

On Thursday, October 18, pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced that it will stop selling its inhaled insulin product, Exubera. Pfizer said that it will help doctors switch people who currently use Exubera to alternative treatments over the next three months.

Exubera was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2006. Upon approval, Pfizer and market analysts predicted that Exubera would be a blockbuster drug since it was the first inhaled option for people who needed to take insulin. However, Exubera's high price and bulky inhaler, as well as concerns about its effects on lung function, led to much lower sales than had been expected. (For more details about these concerns, see the blog entry "Inhaled Insulin Passes Test for Safety" from earlier this year.) Also, because Exubera was not shown to control blood glucose levels any better than already-existing treatments, insurance companies were reluctant to cover it. In the end, Exubera captured less than 1% of the insulin market.

In a statement on the Exubera product Web site (www.exubera.com), Pfizer emphasizes that Exubera is a safe and effective medicine and is not being discontinued because of any concerns in those areas. Rather, it says, "Pfizer has made this decision because too few patients are taking Exubera."

Because of its swift action time, Exubera was considered appropriate for "bolus" insulin doses, or doses taken to cover carbohydrate eaten in meals and snacks. Other insulin options with similar action times are the rapid-acting insulin analogs insulin lispro (Humalog), insulin aspart (NovoLog), and insulin glulisine (Apidra) and short-acting Regular insulin. Delivery options for these insulin products include syringes, insulin pens, jet injectors, and insulin pumps. Meanwhile, other pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, are currently developing new inhaled insulin products.

Were you an Exubera user? If so, what was your experience with the product, and what is your reaction to this news? Where do you think things went wrong for Exubera? Share your thoughts in a comment below.

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I can understand why their sales were so low. The initial cost is $160.00 for the inhaler body and first cartidge with $90.00 for each replacement cartridge.

Posted by: tldell | Oct 24, 2007 05:09 PM

I am certainly very dissapointed to learn that this product is to be discontinues. A a health care professional and a diabetic, I found that Exubera provided very effective control. Morning blood sugars have never been better since I switched.

I will await with great anticipation the possible entry of Lilly or Nordisk.

Posted by: Michael Treacy RN | Nov 02, 2007 11:06 PM

Six months ago, my nurse practitioner started me on Exubera. For someone who doesn't like needles, it was a godsend! I only had to take one shot a day of Lantus, and before meals, I used my Exubera inhaler. Yes, people stared at me when I pulled out the odd-looking contraption (one of my friends said it looked like a bong), but they would certainly stare more if I pulled up my shirt, grabbed a hunk of flab and jabbed a needle into myself.

I am so disappointed that Exubera is being taken off the market. It will mean more shots per day. Perhaps that is something that experienced diabetics don't think twice about, but for us novices, Exubera was nothing less than amazing! Shame on Pfizer for letting us down!

Posted by: maestra | Jan 06, 2008 08:48 PM

I could not be more disqppointed that Exubera will no longer be available. It has been the best product I've used in the ten years since learning that I am a type 2 diabetic. I just hope that some other company will find this product cost effective to continue.

Posted by DAJ Feb 21, 02:41 PM

Posted by: DAJ315 | Feb 21, 2008 02:43 PM

please how much this product exubera inhalation powder ?

Posted by: hosni | Mar 08, 2008 03:25 PM

Hi Hosni,

According to www.exubera.com, Exubera has been discontinued and is unavailable on the market as of January 16, 2008. We'll make sure to keep you posted if any other similar products are approved in the United States.

Posted by: Tara Dairman, Web Editor | Mar 10, 2008 09:34 AM

i used exubera ever since it came out. my insurance covered it at a $50 co-pay ($20 more than regular injection insulin).
it worked great for me as far as controlling my blood sugar.
the biggest problem i had with it was it's huge size. i couldn't fit it in my pocket. i kept it in my briefcase and when going out to eat, either i had to bring my briefcase or carry it with the risk of forgetting it laying on the table when i left.
hopfully another company will release a better insulin inhaler in the near future.

Posted by: Darrin | Mar 15, 2008 02:35 PM

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