Modular Medical submits next-gen insulin pump for FDA clearance by Sean Whooley for DrugDeliveryBusiness.com, 19 January 2024.
Modular Medical announced it submitted its next-generation MODD1 insulin pump to the FDA for 510(k) clearance. San Diego-based Modular Medical develops patented insulin delivery technologies, aiming to improve access to glycemic control. Its founder, Paul DiPerna, previously founded leading insulin pump maker Tandem Diabetes Care. DiPerna invented and designed Tandem’s t:slim pump.
Modular Medical designed the 90-day MODD1 with new microfluidics technology to allow for the low-cost pumping of insulin. Its new intuitive design makes the product simple to use and easier to prescribe. The pump has a reservoir size of 300 units/3mL. Users can monitor the pump activity with their cell phones and do not require an external controller. The pump uses a provided, single-use, disposable battery.
“Pump adoption has been impeded by the ‘three-Cs:’ they are too complex, cumbersome, and costly. The MODD1 was designed to be simple and affordable with an attractive form factor. We believe our two-part patch pump design, easy-to-learn interface and scalable manufacturing will all contribute to a differentiated and lower-cost marketing approach,” said CEO Jeb Besser.
Read more: Modular Medical submits next-gen insulin pump for FDA clearance
Insulin Delivered via Nano-Carriers May Pave Way for Oral Diabetes Treatment posted on InsidePrecisionMedicine.com, 22 January 2024.
Australian and Norwegian researchers report they have developed a new method of delivering insulin via nano-carriers which may allow diabetes patients to take it orally as opposed to daily insulin injections. The new technology, described in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, notes that its nano-carriers are 1/10,000th the width of a human hair, and can be ingested via a capsule, or potentially incorporated in a piece of chocolate.
“This way of taking insulin is more precise because it delivers the insulin rapidly to the areas of the body that need it most,” said Peter McCourt, PhD, a professor in the department of medical biology at UiT The Artic University of Norway. “When you take insulin with a syringe, it is spread throughout the body where it can cause unwanted side effects.”
The development of the potentially new oral diabetes treatment, builds on a discovery made a year ago by UiT and University of Sydney, Australia, researchers who found that it was possible to deliver medicines directly to the liver using nano-carriers. While researchers have been attempting to develop nano-carriers that can deliver insulin to the liver, the previous version would break down in the stomach, thus not reaching the areas in the body where it was needed.
But now, McCourt noted, the team has created a coating that protects the insulin carriers from being broken down by stomach acid and other digestive enzymes keeping the medicine safe until it eventually reaches the liver. Even better, the coating is broken down in the liver by enzymes that are only active when blood sugar levels are high, releasing the insulin to act in the liver, muscle and fat, to then lower blood sugar levels.
“This means that when blood sugar is high, there is a rapid release of insulin, and even more importantly, when blood sugar is low, no insulin is released,” said Nicholas J. Hunt, PhD, of the University of Sydney, co-leader of the project. This method provides a better method of insulin delivery for the patient versus injections because it significantly reduces the odds of a hypoglycemic event, and provides for the release of insulin only as dictated by the patient’s needs, as opposed to releasing it all at once via a shot.
Read more: Insulin Delivered via Nano-Carriers May Pave Way for Oral Diabetes Treatment
Know Labs, Inc. Exhibiting at ATTD in March 2024 as posted by ChildrenWithDiabetes.com, 24 January 2024.
Know Labs, Inc. an emerging developer of non-invasive medical diagnostic technology, announced the company will be exhibiting at the International Fair of New Technologies in Diabetes at the 17th International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) in Florence, Italy on March 6-9, 2024.
The Company will share updates on the latest developments of its non-invasive blood glucose monitor and present results from its ongoing clinical research, with two abstracts accepted for e-poster presentation in the scientific program. These results will be presented by Dr. Virend K. Somers of the Mayo Clinic, who serves as an author and co-investigator on Know Labs’ current clinical research protocol. The protocol assesses the accuracy of the Know Labs radiofrequency (RF) sensor for non-invasive blood glucose measurement in participants with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes using venous blood as a comparative reference.
During the conference, Know Labs will sponsor an invitation-only luncheon hosted by Children With Diabetes (CWD) where key thought leaders in the diabetes management field will discuss non-invasive glucose monitoring innovation.
Read more: Know Labs to Exhibit at ATTD
Watch for my upcoming review of the current, most active Non-Invasive CGM companies, based on my interviews and collected information, in February 2024.
Samsung Developing Non-Invasive Blood Sugar Monitor for Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Ring to Compete With Apple Watch by David Delima for Gadgets360.com, 24 January 2024.
Samsung is reportedly working on developing new health features for its wearable evices as the South Korean tech giant competes with Apple and Google which also manufacture wearables with features aimed at health-conscious users. A company executive reportedly confirmed that the firm is developing non-invasive blood glucose monitoring while improving blood pressure tracking. Samsung recently teased a new wearable device — the Galaxy Ring — and a future model could be equipped with these features.
Hon Pak, Chief Medical Officer at Samsung said that the company is working on adding support for monitoring glucose levels and tracking blood pressure to its wearable devices. “If we can do continuous blood pressure and glucose, we’re in a whole different ballgame. I think that’s where everyone is trying to get to. We’re putting significant investment toward that.” the executive said. companies like Apple and Samsung are working on technology that will allow users to track their blood sugar levels in a non-invasive manner.
Read more: Samsung Developing Non-Invasive Blood Sugar Monitor for Galaxy Watch
PBMs ramp up lobbying efforts amid growing public scrutiny by Dulan Lokuwithana for SeekingAlpha.com, 26 January 2024.
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), which represents leading Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM), has nearly doubled its lobbying expenditure in 2023 as their role in rising drug costs comes under intense public scrutiny, according to a Reuters report. With companies such as CVS Health, Cigna, UnitedHealth Group, Humana, and Elevance Health under its membership, PCMA has spent more than $15M for lobbying in 2023, congressional records indicate.
However, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the leading pharmaceutical trade group, has spent $27M on lobbying efforts in 2023, retaining the industry’s top position it has held since 2001.
PCMA’s lobbying expenditure in 2023 marks a significant increase from its $8.6M and $7.8M spending in 2022 and 2021, respectively, as it tries to deal with growing criticism over its role in rising drug prices.
Does this take your breath away? More than a 300% INCREASE is spending to “defend” their efforts to control and increase drug pricing!
Read more: PBMs ramp up lobbying efforts amid growing public scrutiny
State of the Science 2023: The Role of the Microbiome in Type 1 Diabetes Panel hosted by Monica Westley, founder of TheSugarScience.org, 22 January 2024.
State of the Science is an interactive conversation with room for granular and lively debate focused on the most pressing issues in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our goal is to foster open science, interaction, and collaboration–all hallmarks of the(sugar)science mission.
This episode is a panel discussion about the role of the microbiome in Type 1 diabetes. Participants:
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- Emrah Altindis PhD (Boston University)
- Mark Atkinson PhD (University of Florida)
- Colleen Cutcliffe PhD (Pendulum Therapeutics)
- Johnny Ludvigsson MD (Linköping University)
- Eric Triplett PhD (University of Florida)
- Moderator: Monica Westley, PhD
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Diabetes and Arthritis: Decoding the Link by Sara Lyle for diaTribe.org, 22 January 2024.
Nearly 30% of adults with diabetes also have arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, individuals with arthritis face a 61% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those without it. Dr. Alberto Chavez Velazquez, an endocrinologist at the Texas Diabetes Institute, acknowledges the similarities between type 1 diabetes and inflammatory arthritis. For example, both involve the immune system mistakenly attacking its tissues.
However, Chavez notes that the risk of joint issues isn’t limited to those with type 1 diabetes. Individuals with prediabetes may also have connections to specific forms of arthritis. These links, he explained, can be attributed to lifestyle factors and the presence of inflammation (inflammation is also thought to play a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes). “Frequently, arthritis patients get treated with steroids or glucocorticoids like prednisone,” Chavez said. “These agents are well known to induce insulin resistance and, at higher doses, can make people develop diabetes versus other medications without these side effects. You have a choice.”
For these reasons, he contends that an endocrinologist or a rheumatologist alone can’t treat people with interrelated conditions (like Lyle) and strongly recommends a multidisciplinary team to manage such complexities. “We practice in an era where medicine is more and more individualized,” he said. “There is no recipe that applies to everyone.”
Read more: Diabetes and Arthritis: Decoding the Link
Insulin Pumps Linked to Larger Offspring, Preterm Deliveries in Type 1 Diabetes by Lisa Kuhns, MD for EndocrinologyAdvisor.com, 22 January 2024.
Insulin pump use vs multiple daily injections (MDI) is associated with increased risk for fetal overgrowth and preterm delivery among pregnant individuals with type 1 diabetes, according to study findings published in Diabetes Care.
Because of higher blood sugar levels, pregnant individuals with type 1 diabetes have a higher risk for fetal overgrowth and preterm delivery. Although insulin pump therapy, controls blood sugar levels more effectively than MDI, the effect of insulin pump therapy on adverse birth outcomes remains unclear.
Read more: Insulin Pumps Linked to Larger Offspring, Preterm Deliveries in Type 1 Diabetes
