How to Store Xultophy 100/3.6 Pens: Fridge, 21 Days
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[Storage · Xultophy]

How to store Xultophy 100/3.6

Quoted from the US label · Unopened vs in use · Travel · Sources · Reviewed

Short answer: Keep unused Xultophy 100/3.6 pens in the fridge at 36-46°F (2-8°C), in the carton, until the expiration date. After first use, a pen lasts 21 days at 59-86°F (15-30°C) or in the fridge. An unused pen kept out of the fridge must be used or thrown away within 21 days. Never freeze it. Source: Xultophy label, section 16 and Medication Guide.

What does the Xultophy label say?

Section 16: prior to first use, Xultophy 100/3.6 “should be stored between 36°F to 46°F (2°C and 8°C) until the expiration date printed on the label.” “After first use, the XULTOPHY 100/3.6 pen can be stored for 21 days at controlled room temperature 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C) or in a refrigerator 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C).”

Xultophy 100/3.6 US prescribing information, section 16, Table 11.
StorageBefore first useAfter first use
Refrigerated, 36-46°F (2-8°C)Until expiration date21 days
Room temperature, 59-86°F (15-30°C)Use or throw away within 21 days (Medication Guide)21 days

Section 16 also says to keep pens in the carton so they stay clean and protected from light, and not to store them in the freezer or directly next to the refrigerator cooling element.

How long does a Xultophy pen last once you start it?

Twenty-one days from first use, whether it stays in the fridge or at room temperature. The Medication Guide: the pen you are using “should be thrown away after 21 days, even if it still has XULTOPHY 100/3.6 left in it and the expiration date has not passed.”

  • Remove the needle after each injection and store the pen without a needle attached (section 16).
  • Use a new needle for each injection.
  • Keep all pens away from direct heat and light.

Xultophy combines insulin degludec (the insulin in Tresiba) with liraglutide (the GLP-1 in Victoza), but its 21-day limit is its own. Compare the Tresiba and Victoza pages. For a missed dose, see missed a Xultophy dose.

What if Xultophy froze or got too warm?

Frozen: “Do not use XULTOPHY 100/3.6 if it has been frozen” (section 16 and Medication Guide).

Warm: the label range stops at 86°F (30°C) and gives no allowance above that. An unused pen that spent time out of the fridge starts its 21-day limit. Ask your pharmacist about a pen that went outside these limits.

How do you travel with it?

An in-use Xultophy pen can travel at 59-86°F (15-30°C) for the rest of its 21 days. Unused pens should stay cold; once out of the fridge they also have to be used or thrown away within 21 days.

  • TSA allows medically necessary liquids over 3.4 oz in carry-on bags; declare them at the checkpoint for inspection.
  • Unused syringes and pen needles are allowed when they travel with the injectable medicine.
  • Ice packs and gel packs that keep medicine cool may go through frozen, partly frozen or melted.
  • Keep medicine in your carry-on, not checked luggage, where you cannot control the temperature. Do not let it touch an ice pack directly, since most labels say do not freeze.

More in the travel guide.

Quoted from the current US label on DailyMed, not personalized advice. Labels change; the leaflet in your own carton, your pharmacist and your prescriber are the final word on how to store it.
TresibaFridge until expiry, or 56 days up to 86°F; in-use pens and vials 56 days. Soliqua 100/33New pens in the fridge; in-use pen at room temperature up to 77°F for 28 days. VictozaFridge before first use, then 30 days at room temperature or in the fridge. Left out of the fridgeExact room-temperature hours and days from each label, and the temperature ceiling.

Frequently asked questions

Does Xultophy need to be refrigerated?+
Unused pens are kept in the fridge at 36-46°F (2-8°C). After first use, the pen can be kept at 59-86°F (15-30°C) or in the fridge for 21 days.
How long can an unused Xultophy pen be out of the fridge?+
The Medication Guide says a pen stored outside the fridge before first use should be used or thrown away within 21 days.
How long is an opened Xultophy pen good for?+
21 days after first use, even if insulin is left and the expiration date has not passed.
Can I use Xultophy that froze?+
No. The label says do not use it if it has been frozen.

Sources

  1. Xultophy 100/3.6 (insulin degludec and liraglutide) US prescribing information, DailyMed
  2. TSA: Liquid medications
  3. TSA: Unused syringes
  4. TSA: Gel ice packs

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