A UF biotechnology startup has launched a $1 million campaign to create a painless solution for insulin injections.
Prometheon Pharma has launched an Indiegogo campaign to begin the research and development of a biodegradable, needle-free insulin patch to improve the lives of millions living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
The biotech startup was formed in 2011 by former UF faculty member Stephen Hsu.
The patches will be almost transparent and vary in size depending on the insulin dose, said Hsu, the chief executive officer and founder of Prometheon.
“Depending on how much a patient needs, the patch can be as big as 5 centimeters or as small as a 1-centimeter dot,” Hsu said.
The majority of insulin from injections doesn’t get absorbed, Hsu said. With the patch, the insulin can dissolve through a very thin layer of the skin, making it painless and safer for patients, he said.
“I think that ultimately, everything that we produced is aimed at advancing health care,” Hsu said.
Abigail Devonmille, a 19-year-old UF advertising sophomore, has been living with Type 1 diabetes for more than 10 years.
“I have scarring on my skin from injecting myself,” Devonmille said.
She said she currently uses an insulin pump, but she has had problems in the past with injections as she would sometimes hit an artery.
“This pump is always attached to me, and if I can have something like a patch, that would be so convenient,” Devonmille said.
The patches will also cost about 25 percent less than needles, Hsu said.
“We want to make it equal access to everyone,” he said.
Hsu doesn’t plan on stopping with insulin patches. He wants to work on developing other drugs with the patch platform technology.
“It’s not just a patch for insulin, but we’re going to test for vaccines, antidepressants, antibiotics and all other kinds of things,” he said.
Prometheon hopes the Indiegogo campaign will support its patch research and move it one step closer to being approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Indiegogo campaign runs until Sept. 8. So far, the campaign has raised more than $10,000.
Devon Grimmé, the director of business development at Prometheon, said, “Since insulin is already approved by the FDA, it won’t take as long to get approved and that $1 million will get us one step toward human trials and on the market.”
“If all goes well, and we get that money, we should be on the market by 2018,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 8/27/2014 under the headline "UF biotech startup develops painless insulin injection "]
