| Diabetes Mellitus
Tresiba vs Levemir
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for diabetes mellitus.Deep comparison between: Tresiba vs Levemir 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 signalsLevemir has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Tresiba based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Levemir but not Tresiba, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Tresiba
Levemir
At A Glance
SC injection
Once daily
Long-acting basal insulin analog
SC injection
Once or twice daily
Long-acting basal insulin analog
Indications
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Diabetes Mellitus
Dosing
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.
Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1) Approximately one-third to one-half of the total daily insulin dose SC once or twice daily in combination with rapid-acting or short-acting insulin; initial total daily dose 0.2-0.4 units/kg in insulin-naive patients.
Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) 10 units (or 0.1-0.2 units/kg) SC once daily in the evening or divided into a twice-daily regimen in patients inadequately controlled on oral antidiabetic medications or a GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Contraindications
- Episodes of hypoglycemia
- Hypersensitivity to insulin degludec or any excipient in TRESIBA
- Episodes of hypoglycemia
- Hypersensitivity to insulin detemir or any excipient in LEVEMIR, including reactions such as anaphylaxis
Adverse Reactions
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
Most common (>=5%) Upper respiratory tract infection, headache, pharyngitis, influenza-like illness, abdominal pain, hypoglycemia
Serious Severe hypoglycemia, anaphylaxis, generalized skin reactions, angioedema, bronchospasm, hypotension, shock, lipodystrophy, peripheral edema, hypokalemia
Postmarketing Medication errors with accidental administration of other insulins instead of LEVEMIR, localized cutaneous amyloidosis, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia associated with injection into amyloidosis sites
Pharmacology
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.
Long-acting basal human insulin analog that regulates glucose metabolism by stimulating peripheral glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and fat and inhibiting hepatic glucose production; prolonged duration of action is mediated by self-association of drug molecules at the injection site and albumin binding in the bloodstream.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Tresiba
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (1/12) · Step Therapy (1/12) · Qty limit (9/12)
Levemir
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (7/12) · Step Therapy (1/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Tresiba
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (2/8)
Levemir
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Humana
Tresiba
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Levemir
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (0/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
No savings programs available for Tresiba.
No savings programs available for Levemir.
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TresibaView full Tresiba profile
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.