Exenatide Dosing Calculator

Dose

2 mg

Frequency

Once weekly

Duration

Ongoing

Route

Subcutaneous

FDA-approved Bydureon BCise: 2 mg once weekly extended-release formulation; any day of week, with or without meals

Dose

Start 5 mcg BID SC for at least 1 month, then increase to 10 mcg BID based on clinical response. Inject within 60 minutes before the morning and evening meals (or before the two main meals of the day, at least 6 hours apart).

Frequency

Twice daily subcutaneous injection (before meals)

Duration

Ongoing; long-term maintenance therapy

The 5 mcg dose is both the starting and a therapeutic dose. The 10 mcg dose provides additional HbA1c reduction. Must be timed with meals. Do not inject after a meal.

Dose

2 mg SC once weekly. No dose titration required. May be administered at any time of day, with or without meals.

Frequency

Once weekly subcutaneous injection

Duration

Ongoing; long-term maintenance therapy

Single fixed dose. No dose escalation needed. Steady-state reached after approximately 6-7 weeks. Injection site nodules may occur due to microsphere formulation.

How much bacteriostatic water should I add to a 5 mg vial of Exenatide?

The community standard is 1 mL of bacteriostatic water for a 5 mg Exenatide vial. That gives a concentration of 2.50 mg/mL, so a 5 mcg dose is 0.2 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. Adding 1 mL instead doubles the concentration to 5.00 mg/mL and halves the draw to 0.1 units. Less water = smaller injection volume but harder to measure precisely.

How many syringe units is a 5 mcg dose of Exenatide?

On a standard U-100 insulin syringe, a 5 mcg dose of Exenatide is 0.2 units when the 5 mg vial is reconstituted with 1 mL of bacteriostatic water (2.50 mg/mL). If you use 1 mL of bac water instead, draw 0.1 units (5.00 mg/mL).

What is the standard Exenatide dose?

Community-reported protocols for Exenatide typically use 5 mcg–10 mcg twice daily via Subcutaneous. 5 mcg is a common starting dose. FDA-approved schedule for Byetta: 5 mcg twice daily for 1 month, then 10 mcg twice daily; administered 60 minutes before morning and evening meals

How long does a vial of Exenatide last at 5 mcg twice daily?

A 5 mg vial of Exenatide contains roughly 1000 doses at 5 mcg per injection. At twice daily dosing, that is approximately 500 days (about 71 weeks) of supply per vial. Reconstituted Exenatide should generally be used within 28 days when refrigerated.

Where do you inject Exenatide?

Exenatide is typically injected subcutaneous. Common sites reported in the literature and by users include: Abdomen, Thigh, Back of upper arm. Rotate sites with each injection to reduce localized irritation.

Can I use sterile water instead of bacteriostatic water for Exenatide?

Bacteriostatic water (containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative) is strongly preferred for multi-dose vials like Exenatide because it inhibits microbial growth and lets a single vial be used over multiple weeks. Sterile water has no preservative and should generally be reserved for single-use preparations only.