The American Diabetes Association and Xeris Pharmaceuticals Announce National Collaboration to Provide Life-Saving Hypoglycemia Education and Awareness

Rhea-AI Summary

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Xeris Pharmaceuticals have announced a multi-year strategic partnership to promote awareness about glucagon prescriptions for diabetes patients. The collaboration focuses on emphasizing that all individuals with diabetes on blood glucose-lowering medications should have glucagon, preferably in ready-to-use form.

Key statistics highlight that up to 46% of type 1 diabetes patients and 21% of type 2 diabetes patients using insulin experience at least one severe hypoglycemia event annually. These events result in over 202,000 emergency department visits yearly, with 25% requiring hospitalization.

The partnership aims to develop educational materials and training resources for healthcare professionals and diabetes patients, alongside launching a national awareness campaign. The initiative aligns with ADA's updated Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025, addressing the critical need for proper glucagon prescription rates and emergency preparedness for those at risk of severe hypoglycemia.

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Strategic collaboration formed to raise awareness that all people with diabetes on blood glucose-lowering medications should have glucagon, preferable a ready-to-use formulation

CHICAGO and ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Diabetes Association^® (ADA) and Xeris Pharmaceuticals^® (Xeris BioPharma Holdings, Inc.), a national supporter of the ADA, are pleased to announce a multi-year strategic partnership to reinforce the importance of prescribing glucagon, preferably ready-to-use, for all individuals with diabetes who are treated with insulin and/or insulin secretagogues or those at high risk of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose, also called low blood sugar), in line with the ADA's recently updated Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025 (Standards of Care).¹

"Severe hypoglycemia is life-threatening, and people with diabetes on blood glucose-lowering medication are at risk for hypoglycemia. Thus, we must act with urgency to educate people about the importance of having a treatment plan in place that includes having glucagon on hand," said Charles "Chuck" Henderson, the ADA's chief executive officer. "Through this important partnership, we can save lives by ensuring individuals with diabetes who are treated with insulin have access to glucagon, preferably a ready-to-use formulation, so they can make a plan and be ready."

It is estimated that up to 46% of people with type 1 diabetes and 21% of those with type 2 diabetes using insulin experience at least one severe hypoglycemia event each year.² Hypoglycemia is conservatively responsible for more than 202,000 emergency department visits annually with approximately 25% being admitted to the hospital.³ This is unacceptable. More needs to be done to protect people at risk for severe hypoglycemia.

The ADA, with support from Xeris, seeks to rectify the low rates of appropriate glucagon prescriptions by developing education materials and training resources for health care professionals and people living with diabetes, as well as through a national awareness campaign to educate people on who is at risk for severe hypoglycemia and should have glucagon, preferably ready-to-use, as a safety net.

"Severe hypoglycemia is associated with up to a three-time increased risk of death in people with diabetes.^4,5,6 Xeris is proud to collaborate with the ADA to urge adoption of their strengthened clinical practice recommendations around the treatment of severe hypoglycemia," said John Shannon, Xeris' CEO. "The stakes are too high for so many patients at risk to be without a safety net. Our mutual commitment is to fight for all patients living with diabetes and ensure that they can face severe low blood glucose emergencies with confidence by always having a ready-to-use glucagon on hand."

To learn more about the importance of severe hypoglycemia, readiness and treatment options, visit diabetes.org/severehypo.

About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people thrive. For 84 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to prevent, manage, treat, and ultimately cure diabetes. There are 136 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Through advocacy, program development, and education, we're fighting for them all. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn). To learn more about how we are advocating for everyone affected by diabetes, visit us on X (@AmDiabetesAssn).  

About Xeris 
Xeris (Nasdaq: XERS) is a growth-oriented biopharmaceutical company committed to improving patient lives by developing and commercializing innovative products across a range of therapies. Xeris has three commercially available products: Recorlev®, for the treatment of endogenous Cushing's syndrome; Gvoke®, a ready-to-use liquid glucagon for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia; and Keveyis®, a proven therapy for primary periodic paralysis. Xeris also has a pipeline of development programs led by XP-8121, a Phase 3-ready, once-weekly subcutaneous injection for hypothyroidism as well as multiple early-stage programs leveraging Xeris' technology platforms, XeriSol® and XeriJect®, for its partners. 

Xeris Biopharma Holdings is headquartered in Chicago, IL. For more information, visit www.xerispharma.com, or follow us on X, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

1. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee; 6. Glycemic Goals and Hypoglycemia: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025. Diabetes Care 1 January 2025; 48 (Supplement_1): S128–S145. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc25-S006
2. Stuckey HL, Desai U, King SB, et al. The experience of a severe hypoglycaemic event from the perspective of people with diabetes and their caregivers: "What am I going to do?". Diabet Med. 2022;39(4):e14745. doi:10.1111/dme.14745
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html
4. Seaquist ER, Anderson J, Childs B, et al. Hypoglycemia and diabetes: a report of a workgroup of the American Diabetes Association and the Endocrine Society. Diabetes Care. 2013;36(5):1384-1395. doi:10.2337/dc12-2480
5. McCoy RG, Van Houten HK, Ziegenfuss JY, Shah ND, Wermers RA, Smith SA. Increased mortality of patients with diabetes reporting severe hypoglycemia. Diabetes Care. 2012;35(9):1897-1901. doi:10.2337/dc11-2054
6. Zoungas S, Patel A, Chalmers J, et al. Severe Hypoglycemia and Risks of Vascular Events and Death. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(15):1410-1418. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1003795.

Contact: Virginia Cramer, (703) 253-4927
press@diabetes.org

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SOURCE American Diabetes Association

FAQ

What are the key objectives of the ADA and Xeris Pharmaceuticals collaboration announced in January 2025?

The collaboration aims to raise awareness about glucagon prescriptions for diabetes patients, develop educational materials, and launch a national campaign promoting ready-to-use glucagon as a safety measure for those at risk of severe hypoglycemia.

How many diabetes patients experience severe hypoglycemia events annually according to the 2025 announcement?

Up to 46% of type 1 diabetes patients and 21% of type 2 diabetes patients using insulin experience at least one severe hypoglycemia event annually.

What is the annual impact of hypoglycemia on emergency department visits?

Hypoglycemia causes over 202,000 emergency department visits annually, with approximately 25% of cases requiring hospital admission.

How does severe hypoglycemia affect mortality rates in diabetes patients?

According to the announcement, severe hypoglycemia is associated with up to a three-time increased risk of death in people with diabetes.

What specific recommendations does the ADA's 2025 Standards of Care make regarding glucagon?

The ADA recommends that all individuals with diabetes who are treated with insulin and/or insulin secretagogues or those at high risk of hypoglycemia should have glucagon, preferably in a ready-to-use formulation.