Types of Insulin

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Types of Insulin Available in NZ

Here are the major insulin categories and examples currently available and funded in New Zealand:

1. Rapid-Acting Insulins

These act quickly and are typically used at mealtimes to control post-meal blood glucose spikes.

• NovoRapid® (insulin aspart) – clear solution
• Humalog® (insulin lispro) – clear solution
• (Apidra® glulisine branded but some presentations being discontinued)

Key Uses: Meal-time dosing in basal-bolus regimens or insulin pumps.

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2. Short-Acting Insulins

Traditional soluble insulins that begin working in ~30 minutes.

• Actrapid® (human insulin)
• Humulin R® (human insulin)

Key Uses: Alternative to rapid-acting insulins in some regimens, often less expensive but slower onset.

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3. Intermediate and Long-Acting (Basal) Insulins

These provide a steady background insulin level over hours/days.

Intermediate-Acting

• Humulin NPH® (isophane insulin)
• Protaphane® (isophane insulin)

Long-Acting Analogues

• Lantus® (insulin glargine)

Key Uses: Provide basal insulin once or twice daily as part of basal-bolus therapy.

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4. Premixed Insulins

These are fixed combinations of a short or rapid-acting + intermediate acting insulin in one injection.

Common premixed options include:

• Humulin 30/70® (30% short + 70% intermediate)
• Humalog Mix 25® / Mix 50® (25% or 50% rapid + remainder intermediate)
• PenMix 30®, PenMix 40®, PenMix 50® (various ratios)
• NovoMix 30® (30% rapid + 70% intermediate) – being discontinued

Key Uses: Simpler regimens that reduce the number of injections by combining basal and bolus components.

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5. Co-Formulated / Combination Insulins

These are newer combination insulins that mix two insulin types in one preparation:

• Ryzodeg® 70/30 (insulin degludec + insulin aspart) – funded in NZ from May 2025.

Features: Combines ultra-long acting basal insulin (degludec) with rapid-acting insulin (aspart) in one injection — often helps reduce daily injections while managing both fasting and post-meal glucose.

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Key Changes in NZ

• Ryzodeg® (co-formulation of degludec and aspart) was added to NZ’s funded insulin options from 1 May 2025, providing a widely accessible combination insulin option.

• Some older products like NovoMix 30 FlexPen, PenMix 30, and certain formulations of Apidra (10ml vials) are being discontinued or supply ended, with alternatives funded or offered. Check the Pharmac Website for details.

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Page updated: January 2026

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