Tanzeum

Tanzeum is a prescription medication used to control blood glucose (sugar) in people with type 2 diabetes.

Tanzeum belongs to a group of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These help to normalize blood sugar levels by causing the pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar levels are high.

This medication comes in an injectable form. Tanzeum is given under the skin (subcutaneously), once-weekly, on the same day each week.

Common side effects of Tanzeum include diarrhea, nausea, and injection site reactions.

Tanzeum is a prescription medication used to control blood glucose (sugar) in people with type 2 diabetes

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on how you respond to this medication.

The recommended dose of Tanzeum used to control blood glucose (sugar) in people with type 2 diabetes is 30 mg once every seven days (weekly). The dose can be administered at any time of day, with or without meals.

WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS

Tumors of the thyroid gland (thyroid C-cell tumors) have been observed in rodent studies with some GLP-1 receptor agonists. It is unknown whether Tanzeum causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans. Tanzeum should not be used in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (a disease where patients have tumors in more than one gland in their body and that predisposes them to MTC).

Serious side effects have been reported with Tanzeum including the following:

Acute pancreatitis. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of acute pancreatitis:

• severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away
• vomiting
• pain that may go from your abdomen to your back

Hypoglycemia. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms:

• dizziness or light-headedness
• sweating
• confusion
• headache
• blurred vision
• slurred speech
• shakiness
• fast heart beat
• anxiety, irritability, or mood changes
• hunger
• feeling jittery

Talk with your healthcare provider about how to treat low blood sugar.

Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer.

Allergic reactions. Stop using Tanzeum and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction. Do not use Tanzeum if you have had an allergic reaction to Tanzeum or any of the other ingredients in it. 

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction with Tanzeum may include:

• swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
• problems breathing or swallowing
• severe rash or itching
• fainting or feeling dizzy
• very rapid heartbeat

Kidney problems (kidney failure). In people who have kidney problems, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may result in loss of fluids (dehydration) which may worsen kidney problems.

Do not take Tanzeum if you:

• are allergic to Tanzeum or to any of its ingredients
• or your family has a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)

Serious side effects have been reported with Tanzeum. See the “ Tanzeum Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Tanzeum include the following:

• diarrhea
• nausea
• injection site reactions

This is not a complete list of Tanzeum side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Tanzeum slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly. Tanzeum

may affect the way some medicines work and some other medicines may affect the way Tanzeum works.

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• insulin, or any other anti-diabetes medicines
• birth control pills that are taken by mouth (oral contraceptives)
• digoxin (Digox, Lanoxin)
• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• simvastatin (Zocor)

​This is not a complete list of Tanzeum drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Tanzeum falls into category C. There are no well-controlled studies that have been done in pregnant women. Tanzeum should be used during pregnancy only if the possible benefit outweighs the possible risk to the unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Tanzeum crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Tanzeum.

Albiglutide may cause serious side effects such as Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar. Make sure that your family and other people who are around you know how to recognize and treat low blood sugar as well.

Do not mix insulin and albiglutide together in the same injection.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or become pregnant while using albiglutide.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.