Medtronic ($MDT) will commercialize Becton Dickinson's ($BDX) insulin pump infusion set with FlowSmart technology, the companies announced at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in Boston. The device is BD's first in the diabetes infusion set category.
Under the collaboration, BD will continue to be in charge of manufacturing the device, which received FDA clearance in April. An application has been submitted for a CE mark, Medtronic said. And the product launch is slated for 2016.
"By increasing the reach and availability of this technology, we have an opportunity to enhance the use of insulin pump therapy by providing potentially more consistent insulin delivery and fewer flow interruptions. This technology is an extension of BD's long-standing commitment to deliver injection solutions, and builds on previous BD research that has advanced the science and understanding of insulin delivery as well as patient comfort," said Kenneth Miller, worldwide president of BD's medical-diabetes care unit.
Insulin infusion sets deliver insulin from the pump to the body. The release announcing the collaboration says the FlowSmart infusion set has a unique side-ported catheter designed to improve insulin flow, potentially reducing the number of flow interruptions. The interruptions are dubbed silent occlusions because they do not trigger an alarm, making them even more dangerous.
In addition the infusion set features a 30-gauge insertion needle, the smallest one on the market, according to the release.
BD presented data in support of FlowSmart at ADA, including a comparative study of 60 subjects, which found that BD's device cut silent occlusion by 75% compared to the competitor. It also cut the length of flow interruptions by 90%, according to another study, BD says.
The infusion set is the result of a research partnership between BD, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), and the Helmsley Charitable Trust, which has a project specifically focused on Type 1 diabetes.
"Medtronic is committed to advancing innovation across the entire insulin pump system, including infusion sets, to improve outcomes and expand options to satisfy different patient needs, body types and lifestyles," said Annette Brüls, the general manager of diabetes service and solutions at Medtronic, in a statement. "Our partnering with diabetes technology leaders, such as BD, will give more people with diabetes access to these innovations so they can enjoy greater freedom and better health."
- read the release from Medtronic and BD
- read more about studies of the device presented at ADA