A Comparison of Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Properties Between Faster-Acting Insulin Aspart and Insulin Aspart in Elderly Subjects with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Due to population aging, an increasing number of elderly patients with diabetes use insulin. It is therefore important to investigate the characteristics of new insulins in this population. Faster-acting insulin aspart (faster aspart) is insulin aspart (IAsp) in a new formulation with faster absorption. This study investigated the pharmacological properties of faster aspart in elderly subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

In a randomised, double-blind, two-period crossover trial, 30 elderly (≥65 years) and 37 younger adults (18–35 years) with T1DM received single subcutaneous faster aspart or IAsp dosing (0.2 U/kg) and underwent an euglycaemic clamp (target 5.5 mmol/L) for up to 12 h.

The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic time profiles were left-shifted for faster aspart versus IAsp. In each age group, onset of appearance occurred approximately twice as fast (~3 min earlier) and early exposure (area under the concentration–time curve [AUC] for serum IAsp from time zero to 30 min [AUC_{IAsp,0-30 min}]) was greater (by 86% in elderly and 67% in younger adults) for faster aspart than for IAsp. Likewise, onset of action occurred 10 min faster in the elderly and 9 min faster in younger adults, and early glucose-lowering effect (AUC for the glucose infusion rate [GIR] from time zero to 30 min [AUC_{GIR,0-30 min}]) was greater (by 109%) for faster aspart than for IAsp in both age groups. Total exposure (AUC_IAsp,0-t) and the maximum concentration (C _max) for faster aspart were greater (by 30 and 28%, respectively) in elderly than in younger adults. No age group differences were seen for the total (AUC_GIR,0-t) or maximum (GIR_max) glucose-lowering effect.

This study demonstrated that the ultra-fast pharmacological properties of faster aspart are similar in elderly subjects and younger adults with T1DM.