In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers announced today that Medtronic’s (NYSE:MDT) MiniMed insulin pump beat multiple daily injections in managing blood glucose levels in patients with Type II diabetes.
Results from the OpT2mise trial showed that MiniMed patients achieved a greater average blood glucose reduction and were able to reduce their daily dose of insulin without any severe swings in blood sugar.
"For these patients, insulin pump technology is therefore a valuable option with proven benefits over simply continuing adjustments of an MDI (multiple daily injection) regimen," study author Dr. Ronnie Aronson of LMC Diabetes & Endocrinology, Toronto, Canada, said in prepared remarks. "Insulin pump use can safely reduce HbA1c, with less insulin, and without increasing hypoglycemia and should take a spot in the care path for our type 2 diabetes patients who need advanced insulin management."
The randomized study spanned 8 clinics across Canada and enrolled just over 330 patients ranging in age from 30 to 75 years old.
The researchers reported that patients in the MiniMed arm demonstrated an average blood glucose reduction of 1.1%, compared with 0.4% in the injection arm. The MiniMed arm also reduced insulin intake by more than 20%, although there was no significant body weight change between the groups, Medtronic reported.
"As Medtronic continues to expand into providing more solutions for people living with Type II as well as Type I diabetes, collaborating with the world’s experts to build a clinical body of evidence to help guide therapy for all people with diabetes is very important," CMO Dr. Francine Kaufman in a press release. "OpT2mise is the latest example of this clinical leadership and a trial that has the potential to help improve access to insulin pump technology for the many people with type 2 diabetes who could benefit."
