The state of insulin injection

[Guest guest]

The State of Insulin Injection

Diabetes Health Staff

Sep 11, 2011

What's Being Researched Now

Oral Insulin <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/insulin/>

-With the demise of Pfizer Inc.'s inhaled insulin, Exubera, the next holy

grail for insulin delivery is oral insulin. The biggest problem in

developing oral insulin is finding a way to protect the delicate insulin

proteins from destruction by digestive system acids.

One current research approach is MonoSolRx Inc.'s edible film, which can be

stuck on the inside of a patient's cheek. The insulin-impregnated film

dissolves, passing insulin directly into the circulatory system. The New

Jersey-based company says that its film has worked well in monkeys and plans

to begin human trials later this year in Europe.

Emisphere Technologies, also based in New Jersey, signed a deal with Novo

Nordisk in late 2010 to develop an oral insulin. Neither company has stated

how long it expects development to take. Another company, Entrega in Boston,

is working on several orally taken drugs, including insulin.

Nanotechnology-Medical researchers at the University of California, San

Francisco, are working on developing a " nano-box, " a tiny protective

container with insulin-producing beta cells inside. Microscopic holes in the

box are big enough to allow the cells to launch insulin into the

bloodstream, but small enough to block entry by the body's autoimmune system

agents. (For a video peek at the work being done on this by UCSF Professor

of Bioengineering Tejal Desai, go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY_siujVJEg.)

Long-term Insulin-Insulin injections for type 2s

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/community/type-2-issues/> could drop

to three per week, according to a study in the British medical journal The

Lancet. The study shows that type 2s who received once-daily or

thrice-weekly injections of degludec, a long-acting insulin, maintained

blood levels similar to those of patients receiving daily doses of insulin

glargine.

In the United States, about one in every three type 2 patients injects

insulin at least once daily. One problem that healthcare providers run into

when treating type 2s with insulin is getting them to adhere to an injection

schedule that requires daily injections.

Degludec is being developed by Novo Nordisk. If approved for US sale, it

would allow users to go 40 hours between injections-from 14 to 22 hours

longer than they can with current long-acting basal insulins. The drug also

can be mixed with other insulins. Novo is hoping to reach market by 2013.

Jet Injection-Although recent research shows that jet injection of insulin

can work twice as fast as pens in lowering glucose, the technology remains

cumbersome and requires a high level of patient commitment. So far, it has

not been widely accepted in the marketplace. If smaller, easier-to-use

devices can be developed, jet injection's quicker and needle-less delivery

could dramatically change consumer perceptions.

New on the Market

Smaller, Cost-saving Pen

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/products/pen-needles/> Needle

Batches-UltiMed, which offers the only pen needles assembled in the United

States, has announced that it is now providing a 50-count universal-fit pen

needle.

Traditionally, pen needles are sold in batches of 100. After Walmart began

selling private-label pen needles in 50-count boxes, however, UltiMed

decided to enter the market with a matching offer.

The company says that as co-pays rise for many diabetes

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/> patients, the ability to buy pen needles

in smaller quantities could help them financially. The 50-count product also

opens the market to other suppliers and retailers who may want to follow

Walmart's lead.

Trends

Insulin Pens <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/products/pens/> -Although

up to 90 percent of people with diabetes in some European countries use

insulin pens, US market penetration hovers around 20 percent. The higher

cost of the pens compared to the traditional vial-and-syringe

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/products/syringes/> delivery system

is the most often cited reason for low acceptance. In their favor, however,

pens help users achieve better compliance and less waste of insulin because

the doses are premeasured.

_____

Categories: Degludec

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/-degludec/> , jet

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/products/-jet-injection-of-insulin/>

injection of insulin, British

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/research/british-medical-journal-the-l

ancet/> Medical Journal The Lancet, Exubera

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/exubera/> , Inhaled

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/inhaled-insulin/>

Insulin, insulin

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/insulin-glargine/>

glargine, Insulin

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/insulin-pens/> Pens,

insulin <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/research/insulin-proteins/>

proteins, long-acting

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/community/long-acting-insulin/>

insulin, Novo <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/community/novo-nordisk/>

Nordisk, oral

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/medications/oral-insulin/> insulin,

Pfizer <http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/products/pfizer/> , San

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/community/san-francisco/> Francisco,

Type

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/complications-and-care/type-2-diabetes

/> 2 Diabetes, University

<http://www.diabeteshealth.com/browse/research/university-of-california/>

of California

_____

<https://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2009/02/10/6087/you-can-help-support-di

abetes-health/> Donate to Diabetes Health

Recommend this :

Not at all Somewhat Moderately Highly Very Highly