Severe lows? Spray it in the nose! New Nasal Glucagon for severe hypoglycemia available in Canada!

March 24, 2020

Sponsored Content by Ei Lilly Canada 

Eli Lilly Canada is pleased to announce the approval and availability of Baqsimi^TM, a new rescue treatment for severe hypoglycemia, demonstrating Lilly’s commitment to simplifying the management of severe hypoglycemia through medicines and patient solutions. The formulation was invented in Canada and is changing the lives of people with diabetes around the world. Baqsimi (glucagon nasal powder 3 mg) was approved by Health Canada with ethical status, making it available at the pharmacy with or without a prescription. Baqsimi is indicated for the treatment of severe hypoglycemic reactions when impaired consciousness precludes oral carbohydrates, which may occur in the management of insulin-treated patients with diabetes mellitus, whether type 1 or type 2.ⁱ Baqsimi is a compact nasal spray that is portable and does not require reconstitution. It is indicated in children 4 years and above and is now widely available in pharmacies across Canada.

For Canadians who have diabetes and who are treated with insulin, the fear of going ‘low’ (hypoglycemia) never goes away. When an individual has a severe low (severe hypoglycemia), they are unable to treat themselves, and they need help from someone else to recover. For people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are on medications like insulin, there can be many causes of severe hypoglycemia. These include not eating enough, over-exercising, drinking alcohol, or even using diabetes medications incorrectly.ii

“The daily worry of a ‘severe low’ and the complexity of using injectable glucagon creates an emotional toll for both the person living with diabetes and their caregivers,” says Dave Prowten, President and CEO at JDRF Canada. “Having a new rescue option that is easy to administer with a single nasal puff by a caregiver will alleviate a significant burden, and it has the potential to save lives.”

Baqsimi is a ready-to-use form of glucagon, which requires no reconstitution or priming. It is administered in a single fixed dose that is sprayed in the nose, where it is passively absorbed. Baqsimi does not need to be refrigerated and can be stored at temperatures up to 30°C/86°F in its shrink-wrapped tube.

For more information about Baqsimi and how you can be prepared for an unexpected severe hypoglycemic event, please visit, www.baqsimi.ca.

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