| Diabetes Mellitus

Afrezza - (Insulin Human) Inhalation Powder vs Humalog

Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for diabetes mellitus.
Deep comparison between: Afrezza vs Sterile Diluent with Prescriber.AI
AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.
Safety signalsSterile Diluent has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Afrezza based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Sterile Diluent but not Afrezza, including UnitedHealthcare
Sign up to reveal the full AI analysis
Afrezza
Sterile Diluent
At A Glance
Oral inhalation
At each meal
Rapid-acting insulin
SC injection
With meals
Rapid-acting insulin analog
Indications
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Diabetes Mellitus
Dosing
Diabetes Mellitus Insulin-naive patients: 4 units inhaled at the beginning of each meal; patients switching from subcutaneous mealtime insulin convert per table (up to 3 units -> 4 units, 4-5 units -> 8 units, 6-7 units -> 12 units, >=8 units -> 16 units); adjust dose based on metabolic needs, blood glucose monitoring, and glycemic control goal.
Diabetes Mellitus Administer subcutaneously within 15 minutes before or immediately after a meal into the abdominal wall, thigh, upper arm, or buttocks; HUMALOG U-100 may also be administered by continuous subcutaneous infusion via insulin pump or by intravenous infusion (diluted, under medical supervision); dosage must be individualized based on route, metabolic needs, and blood glucose monitoring results.
Contraindications
  • Episodes of hypoglycemia
  • Chronic lung disease such as asthma or COPD due to risk of acute bronchospasm
  • Previous severe hypersensitivity reaction to any regular human insulin product or any inactive ingredient in AFREZZA
  • Episodes of hypoglycemia
  • Hypersensitivity to insulin lispro or any excipient in HUMALOG
Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=2%) Cough, throat pain or irritation, headache, diarrhea, productive cough, fatigue, nausea
Serious Acute bronchospasm, hypoglycemia, decline in pulmonary function, lung cancer, diabetic ketoacidosis, hypersensitivity reactions
Postmarketing Bronchospasm
Most common (>=5%) Flu syndrome, pharyngitis, rhinitis, headache, pain, increased cough, infection, nausea
Serious Hypoglycemia, hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylaxis), hypokalemia, lipodystrophy, peripheral edema
Postmarketing Localized cutaneous amyloidosis at injection site, insulin substitution medication errors, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia associated with injecting into areas of cutaneous amyloidosis
Pharmacology
Insulin lowers blood glucose in adult patients with diabetes mellitus by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake by skeletal muscle and fat and by inhibiting hepatic glucose production; it also inhibits lipolysis in adipocytes, inhibits proteolysis, and enhances protein synthesis.
Insulin lispro is a rapid-acting human insulin analog that lowers blood glucose by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake by skeletal muscle and fat and inhibiting hepatic glucose production; it is equipotent to human insulin on a molar basis but has a more rapid onset and shorter duration of action.
Enter your patient's insuranceCheck specific coverage details for your patient.
Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Afrezza
  • Covered on 5 commercial plans
  • PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (10/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
View full coverage details ›
Sterile Diluent
  • Covered on 5 commercial plans
  • PA (0/12) · Step Therapy (0/12) · Qty limit (8/12)
View full coverage details ›
UnitedHealthcare
Afrezza
  • Covered on 4 commercial plans
  • PA (6/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
View full coverage details ›
Sterile Diluent
  • Covered on 4 commercial plans
  • PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (2/8)
View full coverage details ›
Humana
Afrezza
  • Covered on 0 commercial plans
  • PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
View full coverage details ›
Sterile Diluent
  • Covered on 0 commercial plans
  • PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (2/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
View full coverage details ›
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
$99/momo
Afrezza Patient Direct Program
Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
No savings programs available for Sterile Diluent.
Compare Other Drugs
Let us handle your prior authsJust enter your patient's info and we'll:
  • Verify eligibility with the payer.
  • Pull the right PA forms directly from the payer.
  • Submit, track & send live updates to your dashboard.
Utilize patient records to autofill forms with our AI in seconds.
Free to start · HIPAA compliant
Next Steps for Your Patient
AfrezzaView full Afrezza profile
Sterile DiluentView full Sterile Diluent profile
Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.