Semglee 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens

Dear Pharmacy Colleagues,

As you may already be aware, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin have approved Semglee (Insulin Glargine biosimilar) as the first line and most cost-effective biosimilar Insulin Glargine choice for newly initiated patients.

Additionally, there will be a gradual switch for patients currently maintained on Lantus (Insulin Glargine) to Semglee during their medication reviews. You will therefore start to see an increase in prescription numbers for Semglee, both for patients discharged from hospital and those being gradually switched in the community.

Recently there have been reports of community pharmacies struggling to order in the Semglee 100units/ml insulin pens, due to the perception that this strength is unavailable. On occasion this has contributed to delays to treatment and even led to prescribers unnecessarily switching patients to alternatives and non-formulary insulins instead.

However, this is potentially because of misunderstanding and confusion with how Semglee is described on wholesaler ordering portals, PMR systems and GP prescribing systems.

This email acts to serve as reassurance that in the UK Semglee is currently only available in the 100units/ml strength. As they are a 3ml pen size, there are 300units available per pen.

On various systems, Semglee’s description can sometimes appear as a 300units option, leading people to believe this is a 300units/ml strength – this is not the case. It is referring to the total units available per pen, not the strength of the pen. When this option is selected, it will identify the strength as 100units/ml in 3ml pen sizes, which is correct.

***Semglee 300units/ml does not currently exist in the UK.

Semglee is only available as 100units/ml.***

Various wholesalers have been contacted and asked to update their Semglee descriptions to provide better clarity.

As a further reminder, biological insulins must be prescribed by brand name to avoid inadvertent switching. Ensure all prescriptions and communications specify brand, please contact the prescriber if you have any queries about this.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Steven Hughes

Pharmacy Integration and Workforce Lead

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin