This study aimed to evaluate the bioequivalence between test and reference insulin degludec (IDeg) and the effects of body composition on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of IDeg in Chinese healthy volunteers. In this randomized, open-label, crossover trial, 30 healthy Chinese males were assigned to receive a single subcutaneous dose (0.4 IU/kg) of each formulation under 24-h euglycemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp. Body compositions were analysed prior to administration and blood samples were collected at specific times. The 90% of primary pharmacokinetic parameters and 95% of primary pharmacodynamic parameters confidence intervals for the ratio of the least-squares geometric means were all in the range of 80–125%. As the fat content level increases,
C
max
, AUC
0−12
and GIR-AUC
0−24
decreased whereas AUC
24−96
increased sequentially. Therefore, the equivalence was demonstrated between test and reference, and in healthy Chinese volunteers, higher levels of adiposity are associated with slower rates of insulin absorption and distribution and the poorer glucose-lowering effect.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-024-75554-3.