title: Simultaneous basal-bolus delivery of fast-acting insulin and its significance in diabetes management.
abstract: Insulin delivery relies on subcutaneous or intravascular injection, leading to reduced patient compliance. Transdermal delivery of insulin has been successfully demonstrated but dose accuracy and skin irritation are problematic in addition to the complex basal-bolus delivery profile required by insulin therapy. Here we present a novel intraepidermal delivery technology (delivered site at epidermis layer, <150 μm) by combining skin pretreatment with short microneedles (<150 μm in length) and iontophoresis transdermal patch (enhanced transport via electrical field) that can provide a continuous basal dose and on-demand bolus dosing for mealtime insulin needs. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of therapeutic equivalence between fast-acting human regular insulin and long-acting insulin with possibilities for on-demand dose adjustment. This new intraepidermal delivery technology is likely to change the therapy regimen of patients suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and provide a way to lower cost in comparison with insulin pumps and improve patient compliance.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The authors present a novel intraepidermal insulin delivery technology by combining skin pretreatment with short microneedles and iontophoresis transdermal patch to provide a continuous basal dose and on-demand bolus dosing. This new method is has the potentials to replace insulin pumps by offering a cost effective alternative with less inconvenience and improved compliance.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guangjiong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yunhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Suohui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bai
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009339:Needles; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D057968:Transdermal Patch
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin