Authors

Abstract

Despite the prescribed benefits of insulin widely used in treating diabetes, patients still feel the inconvenience and perceived pain related to multiple daily administrations by needle insulin injections. Approved inhaled insulin of the second generation has not so far achieved expectations. Design of needle-free delivery systems for insulin is an active area of research and this paper reports on the development of a new needle-free approach to deliver insulin treating diabetes. Porous TiNi-based alloys serve as high-density materials being capable of holding insulin solutions within the structure of the material, and infrared radiation promotes the directional diffusion of insulin from the TiNi porous structure into the skin. Taking these two facts into account, the needle-free device (NFD) for delivering insulin uses a new porous-permeable TiNi-based material and a novel infrared radiation mediated delivery system. The NFD described causes no skin irritation or lesions and is safe to use in practice. Its efficiency in delivering insulin was clinically assessed on 42 diabetic patients. The results show promising prospects as a new technology for delivering insulin and other liquid drugs.

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