Lantus® (insulin glargine)

• Class: insulin analog
• For: once-daily subcutaneous administration in the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus or adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who require basal (long-acting) insulin for the control of hyperglycemia.
• Appearance: clear and colorless.
• What time of day? Previously, the recommended time for administration was bedtime; it is now flexible, with any time of day administration but at the same time each day.
• Route of Administration: subcutaneous.
• Action: long-acting insulin.
• Manufacturer: Aventis Pharmaceuticals.
• Status: Available in Germany June, 2000. Available in the USA May, 2001. Available in the UK and Ireland September, 2002. Available in Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Israel, South Africa, India, and France as of summer, 2003.
• Other drugs with approximately the same duration of action: Ultralente, insulin detemir (Levemir).

Notes:

Lantus is clear (that is, it's a solution). It's the first clear long-acting insulin; all the other medium and long-acting insulins are "cloudy" (i.e., suspensions).

Lantus should not be mixed with other insulins.

The manufacturer states: "If the medicine is cloudy or has particles in it, throw the vial away and get a new one."

Lantus uses the color purple to help identify the product (see photo, below).