The evaluation of new delivery technologies, including BD microneedles, will be an important objective of this program.  Microneedles are tiny needles that deliver insulin just beneath the skin, increasing the speed of insulin uptake and may be virtually pain free.  Microdelivery technology development will focus on improved glucose control and ultimately the use of the technology as a critical element of closed-loop artificial pancreas systems.  One day these systems might sense blood glucose levels and automatically administer the proper dosage of insulin in response.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and kills off the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone that enables people to convert food into energy.  It affects children, adolescents and adults.

To manage this disease, people with type 1 diabetes need to measure their blood sugar and pump or inject insulin throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range.  This daily routine continues for life because insulin does not cure diabetes.  

According to JDRF's estimates, approximately 400,000 of the 3 million people in the United States with type 1 diabetes use insulin pumps, which became commercially available in the 1980s.  Pumps offer flexibility and precision in controlling diabetes, which is a constant challenge for someone with diabetes.  In fact, research shows that most people with diabetes spend the majority of the day with blood sugar levels outside recommended ranges, which can lead to devastating and costly short- and long-term complications.

SOURCE Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation