The OmniPod™ Insulin Management System, the World's First Tubeless Insulin Pump, is Now Available for Canadians with Type 1 Diabetes

News provided by

Nov 02, 2011, 08:00 ET

Freedom from Tubing Now a Reality

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Today marks a significant milestone in the management of type 1 diabetes as GlaxoSmithKline Inc. announces that the OmniPod™ Insulin Management System - the first tubeless and wirelessly-controlled insulin pump - is now available in Canada.

The OmniPod™ Insulin Management System offers people of all ages living with type 1 diabetes tubing-free insulin delivery. This technological innovation marks the first time since the introduction of insulin pumps in the late 1970s that patients who use insulin pumps are not tethered to tubing. In addition, the waterproof¹ design of the Pod eliminates the need for patients to disconnect when bathing or swimming, so they receive truly continuous insulin delivery.

"When a patient is required to take insulin, finding a balance between their daily health needs and their ability to lead an active life can be difficult," said Dr. Robert Josse, Endocrinologist, Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto. "For my patients, new technologies in pump therapy, such as this, offers the advantage of being untied from tubing that can get caught or tangled. It means they can go about their daily routine, confident that they are getting the insulin they need no matter where their schedule or their activities take them."

The OmniPod™ System is easy to use and is made up of just two parts that communicate wirelessly: the Pod, a small, waterproof insulin pump that adheres to many places on the body; and the Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM), a hand-held remote that controls insulin delivery for the Pod, calculates insulin doses and has a built-in blood glucose meter.

The OmniPod™ Insulin Management System allows people with type 1 diabetes more freedom to do what they want, when they want, offering them increased freedom and more opportunities to enjoy life. Patients can participate in most physical activities while wearing the Pod, leaving the PDM in their gym bag, backpack, or purse.

"For 300,000 Canadian adults and children living with the disease and their families, type 1 diabetes can be difficult to control. As the body's blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day, frequent testing and insulin injections are needed in order to help prevent the potential onset of serious complications," said Andrew McKee, President and CEO, JDRF Canada. "Insulin pump therapy is an important tool for type 1 diabetes management. Allowing for tighter control of insulin levels, pumps can provide more freedom to function day-to-day, and worry less about hypoglycemia."

Living with diabetes is a 24/7 challenge for both the individual and their family. Parents in particular feel the stress of managing a child's disease. Common experiences, such as play dates and sleepovers, can be a source of great anxiety when a child relies on a pump for insulin. The OmniPod™ System was created by a father for these very reasons. He wanted his son to have the freedom to participate fully in life; the OmniPod™ System helped him provide that freedom.

Rob Zierler, a type 1 diabetes patient from Toronto knows too well the daily restrictions faced when living with type 1 diabetes. "Since age seven I have been taking up to six insulin injections a day," he says. "The OmniPod™ Insulin Management System is going to afford me a new lease on life. As an active person with a regular workout regime, I am going to be able to swim, bike and work out in the gym with freedom and control."

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, more than 9 million Canadians are living with diabetes or prediabetes. Approximately 10 percent of Canadians with diabetes are living with type 1 diabetes. Insulin pumps are designed to deliver life-sustaining insulin at a steady rate based on an individual's needs.

About the OmniPod™ Insulin Management System
The Omnipod™ System was created by a father, a man who wanted his son to feel less tied down by diabetes, whether he chose to run a marathon or simply play ball with friends. The result of his vision?

A tubeless insulin pump with many unique benefits:

Comes pre-assembled; just add insulin²
Inserts automatically at the push of a button
Adheres to the abdomen as well as anywhere you'd normally give an injection
Waterproof Pod so there's no need to disconnect¹
Wearable under clothing, without a clip
A remote control that doesn't need to be worn and serves double duty as a blood glucose meter

www.MyOmniPod.ca is a key source of information for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Before deciding on the OmniPod™ Insulin Management System, individuals with type 1 diabetes must discuss with their healthcare practitioner the benefits and potential risks of the OmniPod™ System, as well as the responsibilities that come with insulin pump therapy.

The OmniPod™ Insulin Management System is indicated for subcutaneous (below the skin) delivery of insulin at set and variable rates for the management of diabetes mellitus in persons requiring insulin and for the quantitative measurement of glucose in fresh whole capillary blood (in vitro).

Insulin pump therapy is NOT recommended for people who are either:

Unable to perform at least four (4) blood glucose tests per day
Unable to maintain contact with their healthcare provider
Unable to use the System according to instructions

Do not use the integrated FreeStyle^® Blood Glucose Monitoring System for:

Testing on newborns
Testing arterial blood
Diagnosing of or screening for diabetes mellitus

About Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is the most severe form of diabetes. It can occur at any age leaving children and adults dependent on injected or pumped insulin for life.^3,4 With type 1 diabetes, a person's pancreas is unable to produce insulin, a hormone that enables people to extract energy from food.⁵ People with type 1 diabetes must inject insulin several times every day.⁶

About GlaxoSmithKline Inc.

GlaxoSmithKline Inc. (GSK) is a leading research-based pharmaceutical company with a challenging and inspiring mission: to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better, and live longer. This mission gives GSK the purpose to develop innovative medicines, vaccines and healthcare solutions that help millions of people. GSK is consistently recognized as one of the 50 best employers in Canada and is a top 15 investor in Canadian research and development, contributing more than $141 million in 2010 alone. With a proud tradition of charitable and community support, GSK is designated a Caring Company by Imagine Canada. Discover more at GSK.ca.

-30-

Video News Release will be available via satellite on Wednesday November 2, 2011 at

10:00 - 10:30 and again at 14:00 - 14:30 Eastern

Anik F2C/3B
Download Freq: 3820MHz V
Audio subcarriers 6.8 left, 6.2 right

For assistance with the feed call: 1-800-565-1471

Video News Release also available via download

Click here to access broadcast quality footage
http://www.newscanada.com/mpgdownload.asp?id=nc4783
Please contact [email protected] if you do not have your Login ID and Password.

¹ The Pod is waterproof to 7.6 meters for up to 60 minutes (IPX8 rating). The PDM is not waterproof and should not be placed in or near water.
² The OmniPod^TM System is designed to use rapid-acting U-100 insulin only.
³ Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Type 1 Fact Sheet. http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=62495B79-DE19-05A3-5168B63985B9E8B2, Accessed August 2011.
⁴ Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. National Diabetes Awareness Month 2010. www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=300D7617-7E90-9BD4-C4CA113E21E14AA2. Accessed August 2011.
⁵ Canadian Diabetes Association. Diabetes Fact Sheet. http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/what/facts/, Accessed August 2011.
⁶ Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. What is Diabetes? http://www.jdrf.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=0CFB0714-D788-2C84-B4E260715D6CB27F, Accessed August 2011.

OmniPod™ is a trademark of Insulet Corporation, used under license by GlaxoSmithKline.

SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline

Image with caption: "The OmniPod(TM) Insulin Management System, the World's First Tubeless Insulin Pump, is Now Available for Canadians with Type 1 Diabetes (CNW Group/GlaxoSmithKline)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111102_C9592_PHOTO_EN_5931.jpg

Audio with caption: "The OmniPod(TM) Insulin Management System, the World's First Tubeless Insulin Pump, is Now Available for Canadians with Type 1 Diabetes". Audio available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2011/11/02/20111102_C9592_AUDIO_EN_5937.mp3

Video with caption: "Video: The OmniPod™ Insulin Management System, the World's First Tubeless Insulin Pump, is Now Available for Canadians with Type 1 Diabetes". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20111102_C9592_VIDEO_EN_5947.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20111102_C9592_PHOTO_EN_5947.jpg&clientName=GlaxoSmithKline&caption=Video%3A%20The%20OmniPod%26%238482%3B%20Insulin%20Management%20System%2C%20the%20World%27s%20First%20Tubeless%20Insulin%20Pump%2C%20is%20Now%20Available%20for%20Canadians%20with%20Type%201%20Diabetes&title=OmniPod%26%238482%3B%20Insulin%20Management%20System

PDF with caption: "The_OmniPod_Insulin_Managment_System_Fact_Sheet_EN.pdf". PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2011/11/02/20111102_C9592_DOC_EN_5952.pdf