Mysore/Mysuru: In big relief for diabetic patients, the much-awaited oral insulin therapy is now available in Mysuru city.

The medicine comes with an inhaler device and is available in three strengths: 4 International Units (IU), 8IU and 12IU in every cartridge and each box comes with 30 cartridges.

According to a press release by Cipla, available on their website, the insulin inhalation powder ‘Afrezza’ is available in single-use cartridges and is delivered via an inhaler device.

The process of inhaling insulin is simple — selecting the appropriate dose cartridge, loading the cartridge in the inhaler device, inhaling the insulin from the device and then removing the cartridge from the device.

‘Afrezza’, which is created and manufactured by MannKind Corporation (MannKind) USA, dissolves rapidly upon oral inhalation and begins lowering blood glucose within approximately 12 minutes, closely mirroring the body’s natural insulin response, the release said.

The press release further said that by offering a needle-free, rapid-acting alternative to daily prandial injections, it is designed to support better adherence and enable quicker glycemic control for adults with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, city pharmacist N. Raghavan, owner of Raghulal and Co, Mysuru, who have procured the oral insulin, said: “With the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) estimating about 10 crore diabetic patients in the country.  The oral insulin is a convenient alternative to injectable therapy.”

The 4IU box with 30 cartridges is priced at Rs. 3,999, the 8IU box is available at Rs. 4,599, and the 12IU box is sold at Rs. 5,439.

However, the oral insulin is not sold as a single cartridge but as a set.

Oral insulin is available at the medical store only with a valid prescription from a qualified doctor.