DULAGLUTIDE (Trulicity)

Manufacturer: Eli Lilly

Used for: treatment of T2DM alone or as an additional therapy with other glucose lowering medications including insulin.

Monotherapy License: Yes

Insulin License: Yes

Recommended dose: 0.75mg once weekly when used as monotherapy, 1.5mg once weekly when added to other treatments. Patients of 75 years of age or older should consider starting at a lower dose (0.75mg once weekly). When added to existing treatment with insulin or sulfonylurea, the dose of sulfonylurea or insulin may need to be reduced to reduce the risk of hypoglycaemia.

Side Effects

Very common: hypoglycaemia, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain. Common: constipation, decreased appetite, abdominal distension, gastroesophageal reflux, fatigue. Rare: Injection site reactions and pancreatitis (which is very rare).

Renal Impairment: Not recommended if Cr clearance is < 30ml/min.

Pregnancy and lactation: Stop before pregnancy, do not use during pregnancy. Do not use while breast feeding.

Contraindications: Allergy to any of the ingredients. In addition to this, in the US, also a past medical history or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Hyperplasia Type 2 (MEN 2). If a patient develops pancreatitis while taking this medication, do not restart the medication after the episode of pancreatitis.