| Diabetes Mellitus
Afrezza - (Insulin Human) Inhalation Powder vs Tresiba
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for diabetes mellitus.Deep comparison between: Afrezza vs Tresiba 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 signalsTresiba has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Afrezza based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Tresiba but not Afrezza, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Afrezza
Tresiba
At A Glance
Oral inhalation
At each meal
Rapid-acting insulin
SC injection
Once daily
Long-acting basal 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, Type 1 SC once daily; starting dose for insulin-naive adults approximately one-third to one-half of total daily insulin dose with remainder as short-acting insulin divided among meals; when switching, adults start at same unit dose as total daily long/intermediate-acting insulin, pediatric patients (1 year and older) start at 80% of that dose.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 SC once daily; starting dose 10 units for insulin-naive adults; when switching, start at same unit dose as total daily long/intermediate-acting insulin.
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 degludec or any excipient in TRESIBA
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%) Nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, sinusitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhea
Serious Hypoglycemia, hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis, angioedema, bronchospasm, hypotension, shock), hypokalemia
Postmarketing Localized cutaneous amyloidosis at injection site, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia with repeated injections into amyloidosis-affected areas
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.
Long-acting basal insulin analog that lowers blood glucose by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and fat and inhibiting hepatic glucose production; TRESIBA forms multi-hexamers after SC injection creating a subcutaneous depot, with protracted action due to delayed absorption from subcutaneous tissue and binding to circulating albumin.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Afrezza
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (10/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
Tresiba
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (1/12) · Step Therapy (1/12) · Qty limit (9/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Afrezza
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (6/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Tresiba
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (2/8)
Humana
Afrezza
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Tresiba
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
$99/momo
Afrezza Patient Direct ProgramCommercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
No savings programs available for Tresiba.
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.