Insulin lispro

Insulin lispro (marketed by Eli Lilly and Company as "Humalog") is a fast acting insulin analogue. It was first approved for use in the United States in 1996, making it the first insulin analogue to enter the market.

Engineered through recombinant DNA technology, the penultimate lysine and proline residues on the C-terminal end of the B-chain are reversed. This modification does not alter receptor binding, but blocks the formation of insulin dimers and hexamers. This allowed larger amounts of active monomeric insulin to be immediately available for postprandial injections.

Insulin lispro has one primary advantage over regular insulin for postprandial glucose control. It has a shortened delay of onset, allowing slightly more flexibility than regular insulin, which requires a longer waiting period before starting a meal after injection. Both preparations should be coupled with a longer acting insulin for good glycemic control.