Hygieia Releases System That Determines How Much Insulin Type 2 Diabetes Patients Need at Time of Injection

Hygieia, a medical technology company in Livonia, on Thursday introduced its FDA cleared d-Nav insulin management program that automatically determines how much insulin a patient needs at the time of injection.
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Hygieia has introduced its d-Nav insulin management program that determines how much insulin a patient needs at the time of injection. // Stock photo

Hygieia, a medical technology company in Livonia, on Thursday introduced its FDA cleared d-Nav insulin management program that automatically determines how much insulin a patient needs at the time of injection.

Using artificial intelligence and patented technology, Hygieia’s d-Nav system allows patients to get the recommended dose of insulin when they need it, which helps them better manage their glucose levels. The new offering upends the standard of insulin management for people with Type 2 diabetes.

It’s a dramatic change from today’s standard of care in which a patient’s insulin dose is modified only when he or she can see a physician for evaluation every few months, the company says. That creates a barrier to care, because people’s insulin needs are dynamic and often require much more frequent titration.

“Nearly 70 percent of people using insulin to manage their blood sugar levels fail to achieve recommended A1c levels,” says Eran Bashan, CEO of Hygieia. “We developed a way to make insulin therapy safe and effective through a technology that doesn’t add burden to an already resource-challenged health system.”

The d-Nav program uses a handheld device and patented technology to measure glucose, identify glucose patterns, and automatically calculate the next individualized insulin dose. Users simply insert their test strip into a handheld device and d-Nav analyzes the information and provides a recommended insulin dose. For many users, the dose changes every few days.

Through titration, the company says d-Nav offers a safe and effective therapy for managing blood glucose levels. Studies have shown that within three months of starting d-Nav, 90 percent of users lowered their HbA1c levels.

Additionally, when insulin is working more effectively, there is an opportunity to move people to less expensive insulin and to reconsider the need for additional, more costly medications. In fact, a health economic study showed* that people using d-Nav translated into cost savings of approximately $500 per patient, per month.

“When physicians first started prescribing insulin some 100 years ago, it was a medical breakthrough and a life-saving medication for insulin-requiring patients,” says Bashan. “Decades later, the growing number of patients makes it hard to sustain that standard. Hygieia’s d-Nav program serves as a collaborative insulin specialist helping patients safely and effectively manage their blood sugar levels.”

The system is designed to enable physicians, both primary care and endocrinologists, the ability to extend their continuous, personalized care to insulin treated patients with Type 2 diabetes without overtaxing office time and resources.

Patients on the d-Nav program receive test strips, lancets, a glucose monitor pre-loaded with the d-Nav app, and unlimited remote monitoring and clinical support. Physicians who prescribe d-Nav receive data and reports on their patients’ status, helping them with ongoing blood sugar management.

For more information, contact Hygieia.com.

* “Impact of a Novel Insulin Management Service on Non-insulin Pharmaceutical Expenses,” Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research, JHEOR 2018;6(1):53-62