Novo Nordisk has received approval from Health Canada for its Levemir FlexTouch, a disposable prefilled insulin pen containing Levemir (insulin detemir), designed to treat patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
FlexTouch has an easy touch button and a spring-loaded mechanism, in which the injection is driven by a torque spring rather than the user's thumb pressure.
The torque spring is loaded as the dose is set and the spring energy is activated by depressing the push-button, as a result the injection force of FlexTouch is lower than other widely used prefilled pens.
Designed to improve ease of use for insulin administration, FlexTouch also helps in decreasing barriers to good treatment adherence for Canadians living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
LMC Endocrinology Centre co-director Robert Schlosser said insulin treatment regimens can present challenges for many Canadians living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, such as the convenience of insulin delivery, the anxiety associated with injections or the confidence in injection accuracy.
"The approval of Levemir FlexTouch can help to address these barriers for those prescribed a long-acting basal insulin, resulting in improved treatment adherence," Schlosser said.
According to the research, the insulin pens with relatively low injection force have been rated as easier and more comfortable to use by people with diabetes.
Levemir is a long-acting basal insulin analogue sterile injection solution indicated for the treatment of adult patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus who require a long-acting basal insulin for the control of hyperglycaemia.
