FDA approves Sanofi's Lantus SoloStar

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved French drug major Sanofi-Aventis' Lantus SoloStar, a new prefilled disposable insulin pen for once-daily dosing of the 24-hour insulin Lantus (insulin glargine) for the treatment of hyperglycemia in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

The introduction of Lantus SoloStar offers a convenient option for administering once-daily 24-hour Lantus, the number one prescribed insulin in the world, according to Sanofi. This pen provides diabetes patients with an alternative to the traditional needle and syringe for insulin therapy. Lantus SoloStar is the only disposable insulin pen that allows patients to administer doses from one up to 80 units, in one injection, the firm says. Lantus SoloStar is expected to be available in pharmacies in 2007.