Bydureon BCise Injection: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Bydureon BCise Injection (exenatide) is a brand-name glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist given once a week to help manage blood sugar in adults and children ages 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It is used alongside diet and exercise and comes as an extended-release liquid suspension delivered through a single-dose autoinjector. It works by mimicking a natural body protein that stimulates insulin release and slows stomach emptying. It carries a serious warning about possible thyroid tumors and several other precautions that should be discussed with a doctor.

What is Bydureon BCise Injection

Bydureon BCise is a brand-name injectable medicine used along with diet and exercise to help manage blood sugar levels in adults and children ages 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It contains extended-release exenatide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and comes as a liquid suspension given once a week using a single-dose autoinjector.

Bydureon BCise Injection uses

• Type 2 diabetes.
• Improving blood sugar control with diet and exercise.
• Additional glucose control when other diabetes medicines are insufficient.

Benefits of Bydureon BCise Injection

• Helps lower blood sugar.
• Improves glucose control.
• Supports diabetes management.
• May reduce appetite.
• May help with weight reduction in some patients.

How Bydureon BCise Injection works

The medicine copies the action of a natural body protein called GLP-1. It tells the pancreas to release insulin after meals, which helps move sugar out of the blood and into the body's cells. It also slows down how fast the stomach empties food, which helps keep blood sugar levels steadier.

Bydureon BCise Injection dosage

Give the injection under the skin of the stomach area, thigh, or back of the upper arm — never into a muscle or vein. Use it once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, and it can be taken with or without food. Inject the dose right away after mixing it; do not save a prepared dose for later. Change (rotate) the exact injection spot each week, even if using the same body area, and do not inject into the same spot used for the last dose.

If using insulin too, give it as a separate injection — never mix the two in the same syringe; they may be given in the same body area but not right next to each other. Caregivers should help children with mixing and giving the injection. Never share your autoinjector pen with another person, even if the needle looks changed.

If a dose is missed and the next dose is at least 3 days away, take the missed dose as soon as you remember; if less than 3 days remain, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Never take two doses within 3 days of each other to make up for a missed one. If switching from another long-acting exenatide medicine, start Bydureon BCise at the next regularly scheduled dose.

Available forms and strengths

• Injection

Side effects of Bydureon BCise Injection

Common

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Decreased appetite
• Injection site reactions such as redness, itchiness, bruising, or a lump under the skin
• Belching
• Heartburn
• Stomach discomfort or upset
• Feeling jittery

Serious

• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) — severe stomach or back pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal swelling
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) — headache, confusion, weakness, hunger, irritability, sweating, feeling jittery, fast heartbeat, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, shakiness
• Kidney damage or acute kidney injury — reduced urination, swelling in legs or ankles, confusion, fatigue, nausea
• Low blood platelet level (thrombocytopenia) — heavy or long-lasting bleeding, unusual bruising, tiredness, blood in urine
• Gallbladder problems such as gallstones or inflammation — sudden pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, vomiting, fever, yellowing of skin or eyes, clay-colored stools
• Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer — lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, trouble breathing
• Serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis, angioedema) — swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching, fainting, very rapid heartbeat
• Serious injection-site reactions — severe pain, swelling, blisters, open wound, dark scab (some have required surgery)
• Food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or procedures using anesthesia or deep sedation

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine carries the FDA's most serious warning about a possible risk of thyroid tumors, including a type of thyroid cancer. This effect has been seen in animal studies, and it isn't known if it happens in people. Do not use this medicine if you or a close family member has had this type of thyroid cancer, or if you have a condition called MEN 2.
• Do not use this medicine if you've had a serious allergic reaction to exenatide or any of its ingredients before, or if you've had a drop in blood platelets caused by an exenatide medicine in the past. This medicine is not recommended for people with severe stomach-emptying problems (severe gastroparesis).
• Using this medicine with insulin or certain other diabetes medicines (like sulfonylureas) raises the risk of low blood sugar; your doctor may need to lower the dose of those other medicines. If you take warfarin, your doctor should check your blood clotting levels more closely after starting this medicine, since bleeding problems have been reported.
• This medicine slows stomach emptying, which may affect how well other medicines taken by mouth are absorbed; take oral medicines at least 1 hour before injecting this medicine. Tell all of your healthcare providers that you're using this medicine before any planned surgery or procedure that uses anesthesia or deep sedation, since it may increase the risk of food or liquid getting into the lungs.
• It isn't known whether this medicine is safe to use during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or could become pregnant, talk with your doctor about the best way to manage your blood sugar.
• It isn't known whether this medicine passes into breast milk or could affect a breastfed baby. Talk with your doctor about the best way to feed your baby while using this medicine.
• This medicine is not recommended for people with severely reduced kidney function. Tell your doctor about any kidney problems before starting treatment, since nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea can lead to dehydration that may worsen kidney function.
• Alcohol is not known to directly interact with this medicine, but drinking a lot of alcohol can change your blood sugar levels and increase your risk of low blood sugar. Talk with your doctor about how much alcohol, if any, is safe for you.

Storage

• Store the autoinjector FLAT in the refrigerator between 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C)
• Store in the original package to protect from light
• Do not use past the expiration date
• Can be kept at room temperature not to exceed 86°F (30°C) for no more than a total of 4 weeks, if needed
• Discard the autoinjector after use in a puncture-resistant sharps container
• Keep out of the reach of children

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you have a lump or swelling in your neck, a hoarse voice, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath — these could be signs of a thyroid tumor.
• Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have severe stomach-area pain that doesn't go away, with or without vomiting — this could be a sign of pancreatitis.
• Call 911 or get emergency help right away if you have swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching, fainting, or a very rapid heartbeat — these may be signs of a serious allergic reaction.
• Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you notice unusual bleeding or bruising, which could signal a drop in blood platelets.
• Call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of gallbladder problems, such as pain in your upper stomach, fever, yellowing of your skin or eyes, or clay-colored stools.
• Call your doctor if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that doesn't go away, since this can lead to dehydration and kidney problems.
• Call your doctor if you notice severe pain, swelling, blisters, an open wound, or a dark scab at an injection site.
• If you think you've taken too much of this medicine, call your doctor or seek guidance from a poison control center right away; if symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Alternatives

• Mounjaro
• Trulicity
• Ozempic