Tresiba approved in the UK

Insulin degludec is an ultra long-acting basal insulin developed by Novo Nordisk under the brand name Tresiba. It has been approved in the UK for children and teenagers between the ages of one and 17.
The suitability of Tresiba was assessed in the BEGIN YOUNG 1 trial, the first to look at the long-term safety of insulin degludec in children with type 1 diabetes.
The trial was conducted by injecting Tresiba once a day as part of a daily basal-bolus regimen. Tresiba was injected along with insulin aspart, a fast-acting insulin also developed by Novo Nordisk.
The results of the trial indicated that Tresiba contributed to long-term glycemic control, making it an effective option for type 1 diabetes management amongst children and teenagers aged between one and 17.
Type 1 diabetes affects around 24,000 children in England. Type 1 diabetes is far more common in children than type 2, with 96 per cent of children with diabetes being type 1 diabetic. However, more and more children are developing type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Nandu Thalange, paediatric endocrinologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and lead investigator for the BEGIN YOUNG 1 trial, said: “When treating children and adolescents with diabetes, getting patients to target while minimising side effects is a key priority. However, a large proportion of younger people with diabetes are unable to achieve this effectively with current insulin options.
“Longer acting insulins like insulin degludec, which was shown to be effective in the BEGIN YOUNG 1 trial, provide an additional option for treating children and adolescents with diabetes.
“Clinicians can be reassured that insulin degludec offers an effective treatment option for younger people with diabetes, as well as for adults in the general diabetes population.”