Eli Lilly's Humalog KwikPen approved in Europe for new 200 units/ml version

US drug major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has received marketing authorization from the European Commission for its Humalog KwikPen 200 units/ml (insulin lispro) in the treatment of diabetes in adults.

It is a pre-filled pen that delivers the same amount of insulin in half the volume per injection as the currently-marketed Humalog KwikPen. The approval of this version provides patients and health care professionals with more treatment options, and is intended to treat adults with diabetes who take more than 20 units of rapid-acting insulin per day. It contains 600 units of insulin (twice as many as the 100 units/ml version) in the same 3ml pen size, allowing patients to use fewer pens.

David Kendall, vice president of medical affairs at Lilly Diabetes, said: “People with diabetes in the EU who require more than 20 units of mealtime insulin per day now have a new option to control their blood glucose levels.”