In the News: Once a week insulin, bolus by phone, and more...

It's "In the News..." the only LIVE diabetes newscast!

In six minutes, we'll get you up to date on these stories and more:

A weekly basal insulin moves forward in trials

Bolus by phone comes to one pump system

Big study shows how people managed diabetes during COVID

Saliva test for glucose in trials

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/X0JMDubA1c0

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Episode Transcription below: 

Hi, and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! A short weekly newscast full of the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past week. I’m Stacey Simms & whether you’re joining me live on Facebook or watching or listening after, I’m here to get you up to speed quickly
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In the News is brought to you by Inside the Breakthrough. A new history of science podcast full of “Did You Know Stuff”
In The News this week..
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A potential once-weekly basal insulin is moving ahead in studies. These two trials looked at the safety and efficacy of a modified version of insulin called insulin icodec.
Every participant – and they all had type 2 - was also taking an oral glucose-reducing medication that was not insulin, such as metformin.
An extensive phase 3 program is underway –this includes people with type 1… it also will include people new to insulin and those who’ve already used it. Weekly Insulin Icodec could potentially take the place of daily basal injections.
Weekly basal insulin: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/once-a-week-insulin-treatment-may-be-a-novel-way-to-treat-diabetes#Toward-a-less-burdensome-injectable
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Roche today announced the launch of the mySugr Pump Control, which lets you work your insulin pump directly via a smartphone.
The first pump to be controlled with the mySugr app is the Accu-Chek Insight. This is only available in Austria right now, where mySugr is based, and on select Android phones. It will launch in more European countries soon.
All the U-S pump makers are working toward bolus by smart phone but no approval yet. Interestingly, Roche calls the mySugr Pump Control an important building block within their integrated Personalized Diabetes Management or iPDM. If that sounds familiar, it sort of leads us into this next story..
Roche & MySugr launch bolus by phone: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roche-launches-mysugr-pump-control-within-the-mysugr-app-to-simplify-insulin-pump-therapy-via-smartphone-301294085.html
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Pump lawsuit in the UK. Insulet is suing Roche Diabetes Care claiming that Roche is selling tubeless insulin pumps three years before Insulet’s patent expires.
The suit was filed last year but the trial just began in the U.K. High Court.
Insulet claims that Roche has been infringing the patent on its Omnipod insulin pump by marketing their Accu-Chek Solo pump since mid-2018.
Insulet has asked the court for an injunction to stop Roche from marketing these products. It is also asking for unspecified damages.
https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/insulet-sues-roche-over-diabetes-tech-patent/
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Is there a relationship between marital status and diabetes risk? These researchers say yes.
Biggest finding? Men who are divorced/separated have increased risk for diabetes, and women who are widowed are at increased risk
The usual assumptions here about men eating healthier while they’re married and women perhaps over-eating after the death of a spouse due to stress and because they’re not taking care of anyone anymore. .
However, food doesn’t seem to actually be part of this study. So I think you have to be careful about that conclusion.. these researchers do say the big take away here is that other studies don’t differentiate between non-married or divorce… and widowed, which they say makes a big difference.
https://www.dovepress.com/diabetes-mellitus-and-marital-status-evidence-from-the-national-longit-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM

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New study from the American Diabetes Association and dQ&A, finds that growing numbers of people with diabetes have not only been forced to put off needed medical care since the outbreak of COVID-19, but that alarming numbers are struggling to manage their blood glucose levels.
Key survey results found:
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans with diabetes have skipped doctor's appointments since the start of the pandemic, mostly due to fear of contracting the virus;
1 in 4 people report having trouble controlling their blood glucose levels
1 in 10 say they have developed new health complications like high blood pressure, heart problems, peripheral artery disease, and eye disorders since last March.
ADA COVID & Diabetes study: https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/covid-fears-kept-one-in-five-people-with-diabetes-away-from-the-doctor-during-pandemic/article_ffcb98a9-55df-58ad-a010-c7acd12070bb.html
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A saliva test for glucose levels? That’s coming up but
but first.. quick break – want to tell you about one of our great sponsors who helps make Diabetes Connections possible.
● Inside the Breakthrough is a podcast that mixes historical wisdom with modern insight – it’s a science show that’s also entertaining. I love it. The latest episode talks about when a belief thought to be settled science turns out to be wrong. And to illustrate that point they talk about the horse poop crisis of New York City. Really. Listen to Inside the Breakthrough wherever you listen to podcasts..
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Back to the news..
A South Korean company is seeking the approval of both the US and Korean Food and Drug Administration for the commercial rollout of its saliva-based glucose monitoring device after completing its first clinical trial in December.
The device called D-SaLife, uses something called a microcurrent control technology to determine the glucose level present in a saliva sample. They say they will move to clinical trials in the US – that first one was in in Seoul – but no date so far.
D-SaLife is not the only saliva-based glucose test in the works. There’s an Australian company that’s testing a disposable strip.
Glucose saliva test: https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/apac/south-korean-chipmaker-bats-us-fda-approval-its-non-invasive-glucose-monitoring-device
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And finally, this one caught my attention because the headline says Gnome Man begins 380 mile walk to type 1 diabetes camp.
Turns out Richard Humphreys runs the Gnome Countryside Nature Trail in Pennsylvania. But he is 78, has lived with type 1 for 64 years and really is walking 380 miles to raise money for Camp Ho Mita Koda – the world’s oldest operating summer camp for children with Type 1 diabetes in Newbury Township, Ohio. Good luck Richard and wow. Thank you.
Gnome man walks to D-camp: https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/watch-kirkwoods-gnome-man-begins-380-mile-walk-to-type-1-diabetes-camp-in-ohio/article_8a5bc632-b669-11eb-a02a-f7a41b012ed6.html
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That’s Diabetes Connections – In the News. If you like it, share it. And feel free to send me your news tips. Stacey @ diabetes dash connections dot com.
Please join me wherever you get podcasts for our next episode -Tuesday – we’re talking to one of the founders of Bigfoot Biomedical about their new FDA approval and also what it means for other products in their pipeline.
Thanks and I’ll see you then!