BD's Latest Pen Needle Innovation Designed to Make Injections Easier for People with Diabetes

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., June 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BD Medical, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, announced today the U.S. launch of the BD Ultra-Fine™ Nano™ 4mm Pen Needle with EasyFlow™ Technology. EasyFlow Technology makes it easier and faster for people with diabetes to give themselves their daily insulin injections. Product demonstrations will be taking place in the BD booth at the American Diabetes Association 73rd Scientific Sessions on June 21 – 25, 2013 in Chicago.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130621/NY36093-INFO )

Insulin is a life-saving drug for those unable to regulate their blood sugar levels. For many people with diabetes, this means they will take the medication for the rest of their lives, often with multiple injections per day. People with diabetes recognize the impact of BD's latest innovation on their daily injection experience, with a majority preferring BD Ultra-Fine Nano 4mm Pen Needles with EasyFlow Technology to their current pen needle on all three of the leading insulin pen brands.[1] In a clinical study published in Clinical Therapeutics, 61% of patients reported they needed less thumb force to inject,[1] and 49% of patients reported less time to inject than with their usual pen needle.[1] BD is able to deliver this improved performance by increasing the space inside the needle while maintaining industry leading gauge size – increasing the flow rate in controlled laboratory testing by up to 149% versus competitive pen needles.[1]

The launch of EasyFlow Technology is the latest example of BD's commitment to improving injections for people with diabetes. It follows BD's recent launch of PentaPoint™ Comfort, a patented 5-bevel needle tip clinically proven to enhance comfort.[2] Both of these innovations are now included in BD's shortest and thinnest pen needle, the BD Ultra-Fine Nano 4mm Pen Needle.

"Building on the introduction of BD's 4mm needle and 5-bevel PentaPoint Comfort design, we are confident that our new EasyFlow Technology will provide the most comfortable injection experience to help enable patients to adhere more easily to their therapy regimens and ultimately improve their outcomes," said Linda Tharby, President, BD Medical – Diabetes Care.

BD's steady pace of patient friendly enhancements has caught the attention of some important audiences. For example, BD Ultra-Fine Nano 4mm Pen Needles with EasyFlow Technology have earned the Arthritis Foundation Ease-of-Use Commendation, which recognizes products proven to make life easier for people who have arthritis and other physical limitations. Independently tested by experts and evaluated by people with arthritis, EasyFlow Technology was commended for ease of use when attaching, injecting, and dispensing medication on select insulin pens for people with dexterity challenges.

EasyFlow Technology is currently available in the U.S. and Canada on all BD Ultra-Fine Nano 4mm Pen Needles with PentaPoint Comfort and will be available in many European countries in the coming months. For more information on how EasyFlow Technology and other BD innovations can help improve outcomes for people with diabetes, visit www.bd.com/nano

About Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body has a shortage of insulin or a decreased ability to use insulin, a hormone that allows glucose (sugar) to enter cells and be converted to energy. When diabetes is not controlled, glucose and fats remain in the blood and, over time, damage vital organs. Diabetes has become a national health concern in the United States, with an estimated 26 million people - 8.3 percent of the population - living with the disease. Of those people, an estimated 18.8 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, and another 7 million are thought to be undiagnosed. If current trends continue, as many as one in three U.S. adults will have diabetes by 2050.[3] The total annual cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is an estimated $245 billion.[4]

For nearly 90 years, BD's culture of innovation and continuous improvement has enhanced the patient experience to help improve therapy and outcomes for people with diabetes worldwide.  BD devices support earlier initiation and better adherence to prescribed therapies to help all diabetes patients live healthier lives.

About BD
BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

[1] Aronson R., et al. (2013). Insulin pen needles: Effects of extra thin-wall needle technology on preference, confidence, and other patient ratings. Clinical Therapeutics, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 20 June 2013

[2] Hirsch L.J., et al. (2012). Impact of a Modified Needle Tip Geometry on Penetration Force as well as Acceptability, Preference, and Perceived Pain in Subjects with Diabetes. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 6(2), 328-35.

[3] Boyle, J.P., Thompson, T.J., Gregg, E.W., et al. (2010). Projection of the year 2050 burden of diabetes in the U.S. adult population: dynamic modeling of incidence, mortality, and prediabetes prevalence. Population Health Metrics. Retrieved from http://www.pophealthmetrics.com/content/8/1/29.

[4] American Diabetes Association. (2013). Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2012. Diabetes Care. Retrieved from http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/36/4/1033.full#cited-by.

Contact:
Lindsay Roman
BD Public Relations
201.847.4312
[email protected]

SOURCE BD-Becton Dickinson