Huons' Smart Insulin Pen DIA:CONN P8 Confirmed to Improve Glycemic Control in Clinical Study

- Published in the September issue of Diabetes & Metabolism Journal (DMJ) -

- Reduced risk of hypoglycemia and increased Time in Range (TIR) -

 Professor Jae Hyeon Kim, Samsung Medical Center (Left) and Professor So Yoon Kwon, Daegu Catholic University Medical Center (Right)

Huons has announced on September 8 that its stage 4 smart insulin pen DIA:CONN P8’s clinical study results for glycemic control in a real-world setting were published in the September issue of Diabetes & Metabolism Journal (DMJ).

DMJ is an international journal, indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and published by the Korean Diabetes Association. The study was titled as “Effectiveness of the Stage 4 Smart Insulin Pen DIA:CONN P8 for Glycemic Control in a Real-World Setting”

The study was led by Professor So Yoon Kwon at Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, and Certificated Diabetes Educator, RN Hyoseon Kwak, and a Professor Jae Hyeon Kim’s research team at Samsung Medical Center.

A research team evaluated whether a stage 4 smart insulin pen (SIP) provides superior glycemic control compared with a traditional insulin pen (TIP) in individuals with intensively insulin-treated diabetes. The study involved 42 adult patients with diabetes (including both type 1 and type 2) who were on Multiple Daily Injection (MDI) therapy.

All participants first received Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME). They were then divided into two groups: a TIP group (21 patients) and a SIP group (21 patients). Glycemic metrics were assessed using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) before and 2 weeks after DSME.

The results showed that the differences in the glycemic outcomes between the SIP and TIP groups. The dif¬ferences between the groups in %TIR, %TBR <70 P=0.046; P=0.024; P=0.027; P=0.022,>

According to the clinical study results, the SIP group showed better improvements in glycemic control despite receiving an average of 3.4 hours of education, which was less than the TIP's 4.2 hours. This finding runs counter to some users' concerns that smart insulin pens might be more difficult to use than traditional insulin pens.

Daegu Catholic University Medical Center Professor So Yoon Kwon said, “The superior glycemic outcomes of smart insulin pens comes from two key features: the bolus calculator, which works in conjunction with a CGM, enables more precise insulin dosing and helps prevent postprandial hyperglycemia.” She added, “The calculator also incorporates insulin-on-board tracking, which helps prevent insulin stacking and thus reduces the risk of hypoglycemia”

Samsung Medical Center Professor Jae Hyeon Kim said, “This study is significant as it is the first in South Korea to evaluate the real-world use of stage 4 SIPs in Korea. Smart insulin pens can be a practical alternative for patients, offering the benefits of an insulin pump at a much lower cost.”

The DIA:CONN P8 is Korea’s first stage 4 pen-shaped insulin delivery device for diabetic glucose management. The applica¬tion integrates CGM data, such as Dexcom G7, to automatically incorporate current glucose levels, active insulin time, and trends into dose calculations. It also helps prevent hypoglycemia by automatically calculating the insulin needed after a meal (bolus insulin), allowing for precise insulin delivery. Huons signed an exclusive domestic contract with G2E in 2023 to launch and distribute DIA:CONN P8.