Painless Insulin Drug Delivery Systems-A Review

For most patients with type 1 diabetes, the worst part of the disease is to tolerate needle after needle, both for glucose measurement and to deliver insulin. The pitfalls of needle-based injections are well known. Psychological resistances to self-injection or needle-phobia have been documented across large demographic groups, such as diabetics. The result of this phobia is that many outpatient injectable are dosed sub-optimally. To overcome the problems related to needle based injections, there is new insulin delivery systems that has received considerable attention during the past few years and that offers all of the sought after benefits is Needle Free Insulin Delivery. In the last two decades, concept of insulin therapy by multiple-dose injection has undergone a miraculous change. Needle-free insulin delivery appeared to be a wonderful approach, and its allure rested in being comfortable and safe. In today's era, insulin delivery by alternative route is a topic of current interest in the design of drug delivery system. Major global pharmaceutical companies are showing encouraging progress in their attempts to develop alternative insulin delivery technologies. Many such drug delivery systems have been developed for oral, buccal, transdermal and nasal route. This review article discusses, in brief, the novel and emerging technologies that are in pipeline, including insulin capsule, insulin inhalers, insulin spray, insulin pill, insulin analogues, insulin complement, islet cell transplant, implantable insulin pumps and guardian continuous glucose monitoring system. Additional benefits include very fast injection compared with conventional needle and no needle disposal issues.