Queen Buyalos is a pharmacist and freelance medical writer in Virginia. Queen has a son who is a childhood cancer survivor. To encourage health and wellness, she started her blog, MommyQueendom. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, trying new foods, and playing her kids’ new favorite board game, “10 days in Africa.”

Alex Yampolsky, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist at Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center, a pediatric long-term care facility in Yonkers, New York.

Adlyxin (lixisenatide ) is an injectable medication used to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. It is part of a drug class known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.

Lixisenatide works by affecting two hormones in your body that control your blood sugar: glucagon and insulin. It reduces the amount of glucagon made, increases glucose-dependent insulin secretion, and slows stomach emptying.

Dosage Form: Subcutaneous injectable solution

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Adlyxin for use along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. It is used in people who have already tried or cannot take metformin. 

Your healthcare provider may tell you to take this drug in addition to your other diabetes medicines.

This drug is not for people with type 1 diabetes or with diabetic ketoacidosis. Your provider may also not prescribe Adlyxin for you if you have chronic pancreatitis, a history of unexplained pancreatitis, or gastroparesis.

You can administer Adlyxin by yourself as directed by your healthcare provider. 

Give yourself the shot within one hour before the first meal of the day, preferably before the same meal each day. Wash your hands before and after use. 

Take the following steps to administer:

Step 2: Activate a new prefilled pen before first use. Do this only for new pens before the first injection. Do not repeat the activation steps for the following injections.

Step 3: Give yourself the dose

Rotate the drug injection sites on your body. Do not share your pens, even if you changed the needles. It may increase your risk of infection.

If you have any questions about your pen needle or how to use it, ask your healthcare provider. Continue using your medicine even if you feel well.

Do not reuse your needles. Instead, dispose of them in a needle/sharps disposal box. When the container is full (preferably, three-quarters full), follow the proper procedure to discard them. Ask your pharmacist or doctor about the right way to toss your pens and unused and expired medicines.

Hormonal birth control pills may affect this drug. Take your birth control one hour before or at least 11 hours after your shot.

Before use, store the unopened pens in the refrigerator. The temperature should be between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave in its original package and do not freeze.

Keep your medication away from children and pets. Discard all unused and expired medications. Do not toss down the drain, sink, or toilet. Ask your pharmacist about the best ways to dispose of your medicine. Check out drug take-back programs in your area.

Adlyxin starts working once you inject it and takes one to 3.5 hours to peak in your body.

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A medical professional can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or a medical professional. You may report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 800-FDA-1088.

Some people may have little to no side effects while on lixisenatide. Call your healthcare provider if you have side effects that do not go away or that become bothersome.

Common side effects of Adlyxin include:

Call your provider promptly if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if you feel that your symptoms are life-threatening. Some severe side effects of lixisenatide include:

Signs of an allergic reaction:

Signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia):

The risk of having low blood sugar increases if you are taking other medications used for diabetes. If you have any symptoms of low blood sugar, call your provider right away. Your provider may instruct you to take fruit juice (orange juice), glucose tablets, or liquid glucose.

Lixisenatide may also increase your risk of bile duct and gallbladder disease, including gallstones and inflammation.

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

Inject a missed dose within one hour of your next meal. If it is too close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Return to your regular dosing schedule. Do not inject extra doses or two doses at the same time.

Overdose symptoms may include chest pain, excessive sweating, or abnormal heartbeat. Taking more than the recommended dose over time can also increase the risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

Call your medical provider or the Poison Control Center (800-222-1222) right away if you think you or someone else may have swallowed or overdosed on Adlyxin.

If someone collapses or isn't breathing after taking Adlyxin, call 911 immediately.

If you think someone may have overdosed on Adlyxin, contact a healthcare provider or Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.

If a person has collapsed or is not breathing after a suspected overdose, call 911.

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

It is very important to carefully follow any instructions from your health care team about:

Pancreatitis may occur while you are using this medicine. Tell your doctor right away if you have sudden and severe stomach pain, chills, constipation, nausea, vomiting, fever, or lightheadedness.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, mouth, or throat while you are using this medicine.

This medicine does not cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). However, low blood sugar can occur when you use lixisenatide with other medicines that can lower blood sugar, such as insulin, metformin, or a sulfonylurea. Low blood sugar also can occur if you delay or miss a meal or snack, exercise more than usual, drink alcohol, or cannot eat because of nausea or vomiting.

Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) may occur if you do not take enough or skip a dose of your antidiabetic medicine, overeat or do not follow your meal plan, have a fever or infection, or do not exercise as much as usual.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Do not use Adlyxin if you have:

Some drugs may worsen the side effects of Adlyxin. You should avoid taking this medication with Victoza (liraglutide) or Ozempic (semaglutide).

Tell your healthcare provider if you also take:

Other injectable diabetes medications that are similar to Adlyxin include:

These drugs share similar side effects, including the risk of heart and pancreatic problems. They are used in people who have already tried taking or cannot take metformin (brands include Glucophage, Riomet, and Glumetza).

This is a list of drugs also prescribed for diabetes. It is not a list of drugs recommended to take with Adlyxin. In fact, you should not take these drugs together. Ask your pharmacist or a healthcare provider if you have questions.

Adlyxin is used to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Inject the missed dose within an hour of your next dose. If it is too close to the next dose, skip the missed dose. Go back to your regular dosing frequency. Do not inject extra or double the quantity.

Adlyxin takes about one to 3.5 hours to reach peak concentration in your body.

Common side effects of Adlyxin include:

No. Do not use Adlyxin if you have type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Only use this medication for type 2 diabetes.

Yes. Hormonal birth control pills may interact with this medicine. Take your birth control pill at least one hour before your injection or at least 11 hours after your injection.

Living with diabetes is a lifelong effort that involves healthy living and exercise. To stay healthy, be mindful of what you eat and take your medicine regularly (even if you feel well). Before starting a new diet or exercise plan, let your healthcare provider know as it may affect your blood sugar. 

Stressful times, including when you have infections, fever, or surgery, may make it difficult for you to control your blood sugar. Try to avoid stress when possible. 

Verywell Health's drug information is meant for educational purposes only and is not intended as a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a healthcare professional. Consult your healthcare provider before taking any new medication(s). IBM Watson Micromedex provides some of the drug content, as indicated on the page.

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Food and Drug Administration. Adlyxin label.

Aschenbrenner DS. New injectable drug for type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Nursing. 2016;116(11):22-23. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000505586.55332.9d

Leon N, LaCoursiere R, Yarosh D, Patel RS. Lixisenatide (Adlyxin). P T. 2017;42(11):676-711.

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