This article will discuss Lantus vs Toujeo, including some of the similarities and the differences between them, as well as how they work, and more importantly, which one is more effective
Before we head into more details about these two drugs, let’s start with a brief summary.
Lantus vs Toujeo: Both drugs are basal, long-lasting insulin. They are both effective in treating diabetes and can lower blood sugar levels, but there are some distinguishing factors between the two. The biggest difference is that Toujeo is highly concentrated, making injection volume much smaller than Lantus.
Now that we have looked at the short answer as to whether Lantus or Toujeo is best, let’s first take a look at an overview of each, starting with Lantus.
Overview of Lantus
Lantus is an FDA-approved drug used to control high blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes and children 6 years of age and older with type 1 diabetes. It is the brand name of insulin glargine.
Lantus begins working around four hours after injection, and it helps control blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours.
According to the Lantus dosage and administration guide, it can be administered at any time of the day, once a day. It is important for patients to inject Lantus at the same time every day to ensure constant blood sugar control.
Basaglar is a similar drug that is commonly marketed as the “cheaper alternative” to Lantus.
Overview of Toujeo
Toujeo is a long-acting man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children 6 years of age and older with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Toujeo has two insulin pen options available. One which contains 450 units and the other larger capacity pen which has 900 units.
By using a pen with a larger capacity, depending on your daily dose and prescription insurance coverage, you may require fewer pens and fewer refills of your long-acting insulin.
Toujeo is a long-acting insulin that should be taken once daily at the same time each day. It releases gradually with no pronounced peak or wear-off between doses.
Now that we’ve looked at an overview of both Lantus and Toujeo, let’s discover more about how they work.
Lantus vs Toujeo: how they work
Both Lantus and Toujeo work in similar ways.
Both these drugs are long-acting insulin. They work steadily throughout the day to help manage your blood sugar between meals and overnight.
Like all insulins, they are designed for use as a subcutaneous injection.
Long-acting insulin controls blood sugar for an entire day and sometimes longer, depending on insulin brand.
They do not have a peak as short-acting insulin does, which is similar to how your pancreas normally produces insulin.
Both Lantus and Toujeo are referred to as basal or background insulins.
Now that we understand how both Lantus and Toujeo work, we can now explore the similarities of both of these drugs, which are often prescribed for diabetics.
Similarities between Lantus and Toujeo
Toujeo and Lantus are manufactured by Sanofi. Both of these drugs are designed to support diabetes, and both are long-lasting human-made insulins.
Both Lantus and Toujeo are taken once a day, and always at the same time.
Lantus and Toujeo are not tied to mealtimes. Many taking both of these FDA-approved drugs will combine them with short-acting insulin, which controls blood sugar spikes after meals.
Neither Lantus nor Toujeo should be taken if you are allergic to the ingredients.
Both must be refrigerated if they are unopened and not in use.
The Toujeo and Lantus pens are both called SoloStar and are designed to make dosage calculations simple.
Although we’ve discovered that both Lantus and Toujeo have many similarities, there are some differences to bear in mind. Let’s explore those in more detail.
Differences between Lantus vs Toujeo
One difference between these two drugs is how long they can last after they have been opened. Once Lantus is opened, it can last 28 days at room temperature. On the other hand, Toujeo can last up to 56 days after it has been opened.
Lantus is also available in vials for use with syringes; however, Toujeo is not.
The manufacturer says that injection force and duration are both lower with Toujeo than they are with Lantus.
Advantages of Lantus
Lantus has been one of the most commonly used long-acting insulins since it became available in 2000. Toujeo is relatively new and only entered the market in 2015.
Lantus has become a popularly prescribed insulin because of its consistency, and it can help reduce nocturnal hypoglycemia.
Related: Here’s some more info on Lantus
Advantages of Toujeo
With their larger capacity pens (900 units), Toujeo is more concentrated than Lantus and may be a good option for people who need higher amounts of insulin.
In fact, according to a recent study, those who use Toujeo are 60 percent less likely to have severe hypoglycemic incidents than people taking Lantus.
Toujeo may offer some advantages if you experience blood sugar fluctuations.
Which is more effective – Lantus vs Toujeo?
Toujeo and Lantus are two long-acting insulins that are very similar in terms of cost, effectiveness, delivery, and side effects.
While Lantus contains 100 units per milliliter, Toujeo is three times more concentrated, yielding 300 units per milliliter (U100 versus U300, respectively) of fluid.
Toujeo has a flatter glucose profile and longer duration of action than Lantus, which allows for more flexibility when timing doses.
Even though comparing Lantus vs Toujeo is important, you might also want to explore other comparisons and topics for this subject:
Side effects of Lantus vs Toujeo
Both Lantus and Toujeo have similar side effects. The most common side effects of each may include:
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Weight gain
- Injection site reactions
- Skin thickening or pits at the injection site (lipodystrophy)
More serious side effects that either Lantus or Toujeo may cause may include:
- Severe allergic reaction
- Seek immediate medical attention if you begin to have signs of an allergic reaction, such as rash, trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, or sweating.
- Low potassium in your blood (hypokalemia)
- Heart failure
- Patients taking certain diabetes medications called TZDs (thiazolidinediones) with either Lantus or Toujeo may be at an increased risk of heart failure.
- Low blood sugar
- Hypoglycemia can be life-threatening and must be treated right away.
- Signs may include dizziness, sweating, confusion, headache, blurred vision, slurred speech, anxiety, shaky feeling, rapid heartbeat, hunger, and irritability.
Cost of Lantus vs Toujeo
The out-of-pocket cost of Lantus is around $425 for 5 pens (300 units each) or $283 for one vial (1000 units).
The out-of-pocket cost of Toujeo is around $388 for 3 pens (450 units each) or $518 for 2 pens (900 units each).
Keep in mind that these prices do not take into account insurance coverage or other discounts. The prices may also vary depending on the pharmacy you go to.
However, there may be a more cost-effective option after you’ve weighed out Lantus vs Toujeo. Prescription Hope offers assistance in accessing life-saving medications, such as insulins like Lantus or Toujeo. For $60.00 per medication, per month, those enrolled can access options from our list of over 1,500 medications.
Closing thoughts
We hope this has given you a better understanding of Lantus vs Toujeo and which one might be right for you. Consult your doctor about which medication is best for your condition and how it may affect you.
For more questions regarding your specific condition, always consult your healthcare provider.
If you’re having trouble affording any of the medications you’ve been prescribed, visit our home page to learn more about Prescription Hope’s medication access service, compare the costs of your current prescriptions, and see how we can help obtain your medications at a cheaper price. Fill out an application today and start receiving Brand-Name prescription medications at your doorstep. Call us at 1-877-296-HOPE (4673) to speak to one of our representatives, we’re always happy to see how we can help.
