Insulin Glargine
Lantus / Toujeo / Basaglar
Insulin glargine is a long-acting 'basal' analog insulin designed to provide steady background insulin over about a day. It is engineered in two ways: glycine replaces asparagine at position A21, and two arginine residues are added to the end of the B-chain. Together these changes shift the molecule's isoelectric point so that glargine is soluble in its slightly acidic injection solution but precipitates into tiny microcrystals when it reaches the neutral pH of subcutaneous tissue. Those microprecipitates then dissolve slowly, releasing insulin gradually and producing a long, relatively peakless action. The result is a once-daily (sometimes twice-daily) basal insulin that covers fasting and between-meal glucose, and is combined with rapid-acting mealtime insulin in basal-bolus therapy or used alone alongside other diabetes medicines in type 2 diabetes. A concentrated formulation, Toujeo (U-300), delivers the same insulin in a smaller volume with an even flatter, more prolonged profile; Basaglar and other products are biosimilar glargines that improved access. Glargine transformed basal insulin therapy by offering more predictable, longer coverage than NPH with generally less nocturnal hypoglycemia. It remains a prescription medicine whose central risk is hypoglycemia, and it is not interchangeable with mealtime insulins — injecting a basal insulin as if it were a rapid one, or vice versa, is dangerous. It is used under medical supervision and is not a wellness or performance product.
Specifications
| Dose Range | U-100 (Lantus/Basaglar); U-300 (Toujeo) |
| Origin / Manufacturer | Recombinant analog (A21 Gly, B-chain +2 Arg) |
| Regulatory Status | FDA-approvedEMA-approved |
| Active Components | Insulin glargine |
| Storage | Refrigerate unopened; in-use per label; do not freeze |
| Form Factor | Subcutaneous injection (pen/vial) |
Frequently Asked Questions
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