Nemaura Pharma Memspatch Addresses Diabetics Fear of Needle Puncture Pain
Business Wire: May 18, 2017 – LOUGHBOROUGH, England – Results of recent clinical trials carried out on type 1 diabetics by Nemaura Pharma using its Memspatch insulin micro-needle device (IMD) will come as a relief to those who fear needles and injections, a condition medically known as trypanophobia, affecting 10 percent of the world’s population.
Nemaura’s Memspatch IMD compared favorably against a commonly use marketed pen injector (PI). The single-site clinical study involving 18 type 1 diabetic patients took place over two periods, with a pain assessment performed on each visit to evaluate the severity of the pain. The Numeric Pain Rating Score system 0–10 was used, which scores no pain at 0, through to 10 indicating the most intense pain sensation imaginable. Patients were asked to record their experience of the respective IMD and PI devices and to think about the intensity, sharpness, and itchiness of the pain immediately after administration.
While pain intensity and sharpness inflicted by the PI reached 5 for several patients, the Memspatch IMD recorded 0 or 1 when applied to the arm or thigh.
These major reductions in pain levels are a result of the novel approach Nemaura has taken to drug delivery systems. The Memspatch IMD is held flat against the skin, with skin-penetration confined to a depth of 2 mm to 4 mm, which is less than half the usual 9 mm depth for pen injector needles. Insulin delivery through shallow micro-needles requires little training or basic skills, making selfmedication much easier.
Commenting on the study results, Nemaura CEO Dr. Faz Chowdhury said: “Needle phobia is a major barrier to health. We have looked carefully at the human factors restricting diabetics wanting to self-administer insulin, and have developed the Memspatch IMD to avoid puncture pain and to improve treatment compliance. Over 50% of adults with type 2 diabetes delay starting insulin due to needle fear, and over 90% feel fear reactions every time they inject. So we would encourage the take-up of Memspatch IMD technology to help diabetics better manage their condition.”
Further Memspatch tests are planned later this year on a broad range of other medicines alongside insulin, as Nemaura moves toward commercial partner agreements on multiple medical conditions.
Founded in 2005, Nemaura Pharma is a private specialist biotech company with headquarters and research facilities in the Advanced Technology Centre on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) in the United Kingdom. Nemaura has patents secured or pending across multiple patent families and now employs over 25 medical device technologists and bio scientists based on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park.
The company has secured over £25m (over $30m) in licensing and development payments, and private investment. In addition, Nemaura has been awarded five highly competitive British Government grants, and the Frost & Sullivan 2016 Enabling Technology Leadership Award in Transdermal Drug Delivery
