Dasiglucagon

Dasiglucagon is a glucagon analog that acts to increase blood sugar levels. It consists of 29 amino acids similar to endogenous glucagon; however, it contains seven substituted amino acids for improved physical and chemical stability in its drug formulation. In March 2021, the FDA approved dasiglucagon to treat severe hypoglycemia in patients six years and older with diabetes. It is available as a subcutaneous injection marketed as ZEGALOGUE.

Severe hypoglycemia is an acute, life-threatening medical condition resulting from a profound drop in blood glucose levels. It is characterized by neurological impairment, with manifestations like loss of consciousness and seizure. Hypoglycemia is a common side effect of antidiabetic treatments, most notably insulin and sulfonylureas. Although it tends to be more common in type 1 diabetes mellitus, occurring in about 22% to 46% of patients annually, about 7% to 25% of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with insulin experience severe hypoglycemia a year. Even with close monitoring of blood glucose levels, it is not always possible to prevent severe hypoglycemic events in patients with diabetes, and children are particularly at risk for experiencing severe hypoglycemia. Treatments for severe hypoglycemia have mostly been limited to intravenous dextrose and different glucagon formulations. The approval of dasiglucagon marks the first glucagon analog approved for severe hypoglycemia treatment that does not require administration by a healthcare professional.