According to a T1D Exchange article, researchers presented positive results in clinical trials of a new glucagon nasal powder at the Advanced Technologies & Treatments Diabetes conference in Paris, France.
Locemia Solutions is developing the new treatment option, dubbed for now simply as Glucagon Nasal Powder. The powder proved equally as effective as injectable glucagon in recent preliminary clinical trials. The company partnered with T1D Exchange, which conducted an online survey to determine injectable glucagon use among the organization’s Glu community. That data was taken to the FDA, which approved clinical trials.
The new treatment helps combat hypoglycemia in emergency situations. Because the solution is taken through the nose, it is much simpler to administer than glucagon kits on the market, which have to be properly measured and mixed with water and then injected into the patient. The current system of administering glucagon has proven daunting for any inexperienced, non-medical professional. In such situations, many people dial 911 rather than administer the glucagon, a move that can delay needed treatment and drive up medical costs.
User-friendly glucagon is considered a key component in the development of a truly closed-loop artificial pancreas system, with some researchers working on developing a two-hormone pump system of insulin and glucagon to combat hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Xeris Pharmaceuticals has been working on creating a form of liquid glucagon that is stable at room temperature and which can be used in pumps and pens.
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