The active ingredient in GATTEX (teduglutide [rDNA origin]) for injection is teduglutide (rDNA origin), which is a 33 amino acid glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) analog manufactured using a strain of Escherichia coli modified by recombinant DNA technology. The chemical name of teduglutide is L-histidyl-L-glycyl-L-aspartyl-L-glycyl-L-seryl-L-phenylalanyl-L-seryl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamyl-L-methionyl-L-asparaginyl-L-threonyl-L-isoleucyl-L-leucyl-L-aspartyl-L-asparaginyl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-arginyl-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-isoleucyl-L-asparaginyl-L-tryptophanyl-L-leucyl-L-isoleucyl-L-glutaminyl-L-threonyl-L-lysyl-L-isoleucyl-L-threonyl-L-aspartic acid. The structural formula is:

Figure 1: Structural formula of teduglutide

Teduglutide has a molecular weight of 3752 Daltons. Teduglutide drug substance is a clear, colorless to light-straw–colored liquid.

Each single-use vial of GATTEX contains 5 mg of teduglutide as a white lyophilized powder for solution for subcutaneous injection. In addition to the active pharmaceutical ingredient (teduglutide), each vial of GATTEX contains 3.88 mg L-histidine, 15 mg mannitol, 0.644 mg monobasic sodium phosphate monohydrate, 3.434 mg dibasic sodium phosphate heptahydrate as excipients. No preservatives are present.

At the time of administration the lyophilized powder is reconstituted with 0.5 mL of Sterile Water for Injection, which is provided in a prefilled syringe. A 10 mg/mL sterile solution is obtained after reconstitution. Up to 0.38 mL of the reconstituted solution which contains 3.8 mg of teduglutide can be withdrawn for subcutaneous injection upon reconstitution.

Last reviewed on RxList: 1/7/2013
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.