Lilly’s Trulicity™ (dulaglutide) now available in U.S. pharmacies
The newest GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment option to help improve glycemic control type 2 diabetes in adults is now available in U.S. pharmacies. Eli Lilly and Company’s (LLY) Trulicity™ (dulaglutide) is a once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) designed with patients in mind. It comes in a single-dose pen and does not require the patient to mix, measure, or handle the needle.
“Some adults with type 2 diabetes find that diet, exercise and oral medicines aren’t enough to meet their treatment goals,” said Dr. Laura Fernandez, senior medical advisor, Lilly Diabetes. “Trulicity may be an option for them as it has demonstrated proven glycemic control, only has to be taken once weekly, and comes in an easy-to-use pen.”
Trulicity is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Trulicity is not recommended as first-line therapy for patients inadequately controlled on diet and exercise. It has not been studied in patients with a history of pancreatitis, and other antidiabetic therapies should be considered for patients with a history of pancreatitis. Trulicity is not for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus or diabetic ketoacidosis. Trulicity is not a substitute for insulin and has not been studied in combination with basal insulin. Trulicity has not been studied in patients with severe gastrointestinal disease, including severe gastroparesis, and is not for patients with pre-existing severe gastrointestinal disease.
Trulicity has a Boxed Warning about potential risk of thyroid c-cell tumors including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). It is contraindicated in patients with a personal history of MTC or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2) and in patients with a prior serious hypersensitivity reaction to dulaglutide or any of its product components.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Trulicity on Sept. 18, 2014 based on results from a number of studies of Trulicity used alone or in combination with commonly prescribed diabetes medications, including metformin, pioglitazone, glimepiride, and insulin lispro. (Study details are available below.) It is now available to patients in 0.75 mg and 1.5 mg doses, delivered in the single-dose Trulicity pen. In a separate usability study, most patients agreed the Trulicity pen was easy to use.
To help make the cost of therapy more manageable, the Trulicity Savings Card can reduce out-of-pocket costs to $25 for each prescription of Trulicity (up to a value of $150 per month) for a maximum of two years. This is available for commercially insured patients only. Savings cards and eligibility requirements can be found at www.Trulicity.com, in Trulicity sample packages, or in the patient education brochure.
