People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes using the One Touch Via delivery system had fewer missed insulin doses and less stress compared to multiple daily injections, according to data presented at the recent annual American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference in New Orleans.
The presentation, “Patient User Experience Evaluation of Bolus Patch Insulin Delivery System,” and a poster presented by Calibra Medical, a Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Care company, can be found here.
The new OneTouch Via is an on-demand insulin delivery system that allows patients to receive insulin at mealtimes by pressing two buttons on the device. The patch is water-resistant, can be worn for up to three days, and allows a discrete injection-free delivery.
The device cuts down on embarrassment or discomfort experienced by diabetics at mealtime, especially when they are dining out or sharing a meal with others.
“In a social situation, they may choose to miss a dose so they don’t have to take themselves out of the moment, but avoiding needed insulin doses may lead to serious health complications over time,” Dr. Brian Levy, chief medical officer of Lifescan, a glucose monitoring arm of Johnson & Johnson, said in a press release. “Because patients in the study were empowered to dose discreetly with the OneTouch Via, they felt encouraged to dose more often – and ultimately, they reported missing fewer doses and better adherence to their treatment regimen.”
The Market Acceptance Evaluation (MAE) study included 44 people with diabetes who used the OneTouch Via patch for 60 days. Study participants filled out questionnaires about the device at study start and then at one, four and eight weeks of study.
By weeks four to eight, more than half of the study subjects reported dosing more often than they would with a pen or syringe. Almost all said the patch allowed them to dose in public without disclosing that they were using medication. The vast majority, 88% of participants, credited the patch for reducing stress about insulin dosing.
John Wilson, worldwide vice president of Insulin Delivery for Animas Corporation said OneTouch Via helps people better stay on top of treatment and involved in ordinary life happenings.
” . . . moments, like a dinner party, a grandchild’s birthday, a work event. It is our hope that once commercially available, it will eliminate the barriers many people living with diabetes face surrounding mealtime insulin and ultimately improve health outcomes,” Wilson said.
