I'm in love with the new digital, insulin pen, Pendiq. Here is some info on it from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes – 47th Annual Meeting September 12-16, 2011, draft report:
Diamesco: This Korea-based company showcased one of the most innovative new products we saw at this year’s EASD: a digital insulin pen. We’ve heard patient interest in this sort of “smart pen” for years, and we were excited to learn about the features of Diamesco’s pendiq (pronounced “PEN-deek”), including 195-dose memory, data downloading to computers, and the capacity for preprogramming of boluses based on time of day. At 18 cm (7.1 in), the pendiq is slightly longer than a typical insulin pen, and the motor means that it is heavier as well. Nonetheless, we think that the product has potential especially for patients who want automatic documentation of their injections or who take consistent mealtime doses of insulin. The company expects CE mark in October and launch in Germany in November, and it has distribution agreements in over a dozen other European countries as well. (Currently, Diamesco sells pumps and pen needles in the EU, Middle East, and Asia.) The booth itself was small and frequently crowded; the most notable decoration was a beach-ball-sized balloon above the booth that could be seen from across the exhibit hall.
o The pendiq is compatible with any standard 300-unit pen cartridges, and its motor-driven injection system delivers insulin in 0.1-unit increments at a speed of up to five units per second. The maximum dose is 60 units. The current dosage is displayed on a small (but legible) black-and-white screen, and users can also estimate insulin on board by reviewing the amount and time of their recent injections. To inject, users press the “ACT” button at the base of the pendiq, at which point the dosage number will decrease to “000.0”on the screen. Upon injection, a small light flashes red, and the screen displays a countdown from 15 to 0 until dosage is complete; once all the insulin is delivered, the light changes to green, and the screen displays “END.”
o Data can be downloaded to PCs via a USB cable and reviewed with DIABASS diabetes management software, which also enables downloading from all the major blood glucose meter companies. Hopefully, a single diagram for insulin and BGM data would make data monitoring simpler and more useful for patients, although the DIABASS interface itself does not look particularly user-friendly. Pendiq has also developed a PC-based application that allows preprogramming of dosage, so that with only one button push, the pen will ‘know’ how much insulin to give based on the time of day. The pendiq permits up to nine different time-dependent dosages, which we expect would be enough for any patient who would use preprogramming. This seems like a very smart feature; selecting a dose with the pendiq’s three buttons looked like it could get somewhat complicated for elderly patients or those with poor coordination (as it can with currently available pens).
o The rechargeable battery is designed to last for roughly 10 days, assuming three-to-four injections per day; recharge occurs through a USB cable and takes roughly 30 minutes. The pendiq alarms when the battery is low, and in case of emergencies it can be switched to a manual mode in which the user twists the pendiq 60° at a time (corresponding to one unit each).
o The pendiq comes in four colors (orange, green, black, and gray), and representatives told us that cartoon-character designs are planned to appeal to younger patients. Wow!
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So does anyone know when it's coming to the United States? I am insulin sensitive so 0.1U increments would be awesome!!! BTW, it is already available in Germany: Pendiq site: