Insulin glulisine is a rapid-acting insulin analogue that differs from human insulin

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....

 in that the amino acid asparagine

Asparagine

Asparagine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids on Earth. It has carboxamide as the side-chain's functional group. It is not an essential amino acid...

 at position B3 is replaced by lysine

Lysine

Lysine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCH4NH2. It is an essential amino acid, which means that the human body cannot synthesize it. Its codons are AAA and AAG....

 and the lysine in position B29 is replaced by glutamic acid

Glutamic acid

Glutamic acid is one of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids, and its codons are GAA and GAG. It is a non-essential amino acid. The carboxylate anions and salts of glutamic acid are known as glutamates...

. Chemically, it is 3B-lysine-29B-glutamic acid-human insulin, has the empirical formula C₂₅₈H₃₈₄N₆₄O₇₈S₆ and a molecular weight of 5823. It was developed by Sanofi-Aventis

Sanofi-Aventis

Sanofi S.A. is a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris, France, the world's fourth-largest by prescription sales. Sanofi engages in the research and development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products for sale principally in the prescription market, but the...

and sold under the trade name Apidra. When injected subcutaneously, it appears in the blood earlier and at higher concentrations than human insulin. When used as a meal time insulin, the dose should be given within 15 minutes before a meal or within 20 minutes after starting a meal.

External links

• Apidra Homepage
• http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?dr:D04540
• Insuline Glulisine:A review of its use in the management of diabetes mellitus. Drugs 2009; 69(8)