First prefilled pump cartridge for insulin users

Novo Nordisk has laid claim to the launch of the first prefilled pump cartridge with an insulin analogue, which has been specifically designed for insulin pumps.

Containing NovoRapid (the group’s insulin aspart) the ‘PumpCart’ device is designed for patient convenience. The 1.6 ml cartridge has been developed in a non-exclusive partnership between Roche Diabetes Care and Novo Nordisk and is compatible with the new Accu-Chek Insight insulin pump therapy system from Roche Diabetes Care.

“One of the challenges in operating a traditional pump lies in the manual filling of the insulin reservoir, a procedure with multiple steps, which can often be perceived as a complex and time-consuming process by patients and healthcare professionals alike,” said Dr Parth Narendran, clinical senior lecturer and honorary consultant in medicine at the University of Birmingham. 

He continued: "This can be a difficult hurdle to overcome when starting on insulin pump therapy, and is exacerbated by the extensive amount of time needed by healthcare staff to provide the necessary support during pump initiation. A simpler process could address this issue and deliver tangible benefits for those patients who rely on insulin pump therapy every day to manage their diabetes."

"This can provide benefits to certain patients," explained Dr Mark Evans, lecturer and honorary consultant in medicine at the University of Cambridge. "In Europe, we've seen a slow but steady increase in insulin pump therapy uptake in recent years, but there is still room for improvement; in the United Kingdom pumps are currently used by 19% of children and 6% of adults with type 1 diabetes." 

PumpCart is available in the UK, Sweden and Austria today and will be made available in more European countries throughout 2015 and 2016.