Insulinomas and Other Related Tumors Can Result in Persistent Hypoglycemia
Understanding a Rare and Serious Condition — and the Treatment Options Available
Severe low blood sugar caused by a tumor is a rare but serious condition that can affect daily life and long-term health. Many patients and families spend months—or longer—searching for answers.
This page is here to help you:
Understand tumor-related hypoglycemia
Recognize symptoms and risks
Learn about available investigational treatment options
Find out how to access research and expanded access programs
What is Tumor-Related Hypoglycemia?
In rare cases, certain tumors can cause the body’s blood sugar to drop dangerously low. Sometimes this happens because the tumor releases substances, like insulin or an insulin-like protein, that affect how the body controls glucose or blood sugar.
This cause of tumor-related hypoglycemia may be called by other names, such as:
Tumor-induced hypoglycemia
Non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia (NICTH)
IGF-2 related hypoglycemia
Rare paraneoplastic hypoglycemia
Doege-Potter syndrome
Because it is uncommon, diagnosis and treatment can be challenging. When this happens, it may be difficult to continue to receive cancer care.
Current Treatment Approaches
Treatment focuses on:
Managing blood sugar with frequent eating or IV glucose
Medications to raise glucose levels
Treating or removing the tumor when possible
However, many patients continue to experience dangerous low blood sugar despite available therapies.
Why is this Condition Serious?
Repeated or severe hypoglycemia can lead to:
Confusion, dizziness, and fainting
Seizures or loss of consciousness
Risk of injury or hospitalization
Reduced quality of life
Standard treatments do not always control symptoms well, and options may be limited.
You Are Not Alone
Living with hypoglycemia due to a tumor can feel overwhelming. Support, information, and new treatment options are emerging.
Our goal is to help patients and physicians understand this rare condition, explore appropriate treatment pathways, and find access to investigational therapies when needed.
Potential New Treatment Options are Being Studied
Rezolute is a late-stage rare disease company focused on the development of an investigational medicine, called a monoclonal antibody, designed to address certain causes of hypoglycemia caused by a tumor.
The investigational drug is called Ersodetug (er-SŌ-duh-tug) and it is given intravenously (small tube placed into a vein) for approximately 30 minutes every 1-4 weeks.
You may be eligible for investigational treatment with ersodetug if you:
Have been diagnosed with hypoglycemia due to a tumor,
Have frequent hypoglycemia that is not responding to available treatment,
Have had periods where you required intravenous glucose or nutrition,
Over the age of 18,
Willing to complete an evaluation involving medical tests and assessments. Most of the tests in this program are similar to routine medical care you may already receive from your doctor.
Several options are available through the upLIFT program:
Phase 3 Clinical Trial Program
By joining a clinical trial, patients may:
Receive close medical monitoring
Gain access to an investigational therapy at no cost
Help advance research for this rare condition
Provides travel support
Participation is voluntary, and eligibility criteria apply.
Expanded Access Program (EAP)
For patients who may not qualify for the clinical trial or cannot wait for trial enrollment, an Expanded Access Program may be available:
Expanded Access:
Gain access to an investigational therapy outside of a clinical trial at no cost when access to a clinical trial site is not feasible
Requires approval from a treating physician and regulatory authorities
Provides travel support
The Expanded Access program may offer another pathway to treatment when options are limited.
Take the Next Step
If you or someone you care for has hypoglycemia due to a tumor, you may be eligible to learn more about the Phase 3 clinical trial or the Expanded Access Program.
Talk with your doctor or contact our program team to see which option may be right for you.