FDA Accepts sBLA for inhaled insulin for kids and adolescents Following Positive Phase 3 Results
The FDA has accepted MannKind's supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for Afrezza (insulin human inhalation powder) to treat children and adolescents with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, with a PDUFA target date of May 29, 2026. The phase 3 INHALE-1 trial demonstrated Afrezza’s noninferiority to multiple daily injections, showing comparable safety and no significant differences in lung function between treatment groups.
“Today’s milestone brings us one step closer to offering young children and teenagers living with diabetes a potential alternative therapy to multiple daily injections or an insulin pump system,” said Dr. Kevin Kaiserman, M.D., Senior Vice President, Therapeutic Area Head, Endocrine Diseases at MannKind Corporation. “Inhaled insulin has been available to adults for over a decade, and we are excited about the potential of adding this treatment choice for the pediatric population.”
The sBLA is based on results from the Phase 3 INHALE-1 study in children and adolescents between the ages of 4-17 who are living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The 26-week open-label, randomized clinical trial evaluated Afrezza in combination with basal insulin vs. multiple daily injections (MDI) with basal insulin. Six-month topline results from INHALE-1 were reported in December 2024. The submission also included safety data from the study’s 26-week extension phase in which all remaining MDI patients switched to Afrezza. Full results will be shared at the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) in early November.
Afrezza was first approved by the FDA for adults (age 18+) in June 2014 and is also approved in India and Brazil. It is recognized as part of the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care.
About Afrezza
Afrezza (insulin human) Inhalation Powder is a rapid-acting inhaled human insulin indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus.
Limitations of Use: Not recommended for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis or in patients that smoke or have recently stopped smoking.
