Mohammed Ismail

KUWAIT: The control of blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes remains sub-optimal, with 1 in 2 patients on treatment for diabetes not reaching their glycemic goalsi. With the aim of addressing this unmet need of patients, Sanofi, under the patronage of Kuwait Diabetes Society, launched Toujeo (insulin glargine U300), a next generation basal insulin, to improve the control of blood sugar in adults living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

In alignment with the on-going efforts in Kuwait to improve diabetes management, the introduction of Toujeo will help enhance therapy outcome and provide better treatment options for people with diabetes. "With the rising incidence of diabetes in the country, our endeavor is to adopt every measure towards ensuring effective diabetes control for our patients. The launch of the new therapy is a positive addition to our existing diabetes treatment portfolio. Together with Sanofi, we are pleased to be the first country in the Middle East to make this available to our patients," said Dr Hessa Al-Kandari, President of Kuwait Diabetes Society.

Commenting on the challenges faced by patients, Dr Waleed Al-Dahi, Consultant Endocrinologist & Diabetes, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, said, "Hypoglycemia is one of the key concerning side effects for people with diabetes. It causes patients to reduce their insulin doses, resulting in irregular blood sugar levels. In addition, the concern over hypoglycemia causes patients to eat at varying hours and in larger quantities leading to weight gain."

Toujeo provides stable control that lasts a full 24 hours and beyond. It also provides the benefits of dosage flexibility (up to 3 hours) when needed and addresses the issue of insulin-related body weight gain . The new therapy has a neutral effect on cardiovascular conditions, ensuring long-term safety for patients with co-morbidities .

"Sanofi is proud of its leadership and long heritage in diabetes and insulin therapies, including Lantus which has supported patients in the management of their diabetes for more than a decade. We are committed to bringing advanced therapies that aim to deliver better health outcomes for people with diabetes in Kuwait. With the introduction of Toujeo, we offer effective alternative that will address some of the previously unmet needs of diabetes patients in the country," said Jean-Paul Scheuer, Country Chair and General Manager, Rx for Sanofi Gulf.

Toujeo has received approval from most international health authorities, including the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) in addition to the Kuwait Ministry of Health. The approvals were based on a series of medical trials (EDITION) that were conducted on over 3500 patients, and which results proved positive and effective.