BEDFORD, Mass., June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Insulet Corporation announced today that its OmniPod(R) Insulin Management System has received a Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) during the IDSA’s 2006 competition. The OmniPod Insulin Management System is an innovative new product for the treatment of diabetes that brings together safe, reliable, continuous subcutaneous insulin delivery and blood glucose monitoring in an easy-to-use, two-part system.
The IDEA competition is presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and sponsored by BusinessWeek, and is one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions. Awards are based on excellence and innovation in the design and functionality of individual products. Out of 1,494 international and domestic entries, the jury awarded 27 entries the coveted Gold award, while 39 entries received Silver awards and 42 won Bronze awards. The OmniPod System was recognized with the Gold award in the Medical & Scientific Equipment category.
This is the third significant innovation and design award received by Insulet in the past three months, including a Gold Medical Device Excellence Award from Canon Communications LLC and a 2006 New England Innovation Award from the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE).
Designers of the OmniPod System used innovative design and materials and overcame a number of technological challenges to create a system that has all the functionality of a conventional insulin pump with no tubing. Conventional insulin pumps are complex electromechanical devices that have hundreds of components and are connected to the body via an infusion set with up to 42 inches of tubing. With the OmniPod Insulin Management System, Insulet’s design team was able to separate the controls and user interface from the insulin delivery mechanism, eliminating the need for tubing.
The System consists of the handheld, wireless Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) which programs the OmniPod with insulin delivery instructions and monitors its operation, and the compact, lightweight OmniPod, which is worn discreetly beneath clothing and delivers insulin based on instructions from the PDM. The PDM contains a fully integrated blood glucose meter and is very similar in materials, construction and appearance to a personal digital assistant. The OmniPod features an automated cannula insertion system designed to minimize the physical discomfort of insertion.
“From a patient’s perspective, this design reduces the perception of a healthcare product to that of a digital assistant. Overall, this system is leading the direction of consumer medical products,” said Tor Alden, IDEA juror, principal, HS Design Inc.
“We are thrilled to receive such a prestigious award recognizing the hard work and dedication of our design team,” said Duane DeSisto, President and CEO, Insulet Corporation. “The OmniPod System’s innovative design and intuitive functionality will enable more people with diabetes to take advantage of intensive insulin therapy without the hassles of multiple daily injections or conventional insulin pumps.”
All IDEA winners will be announced in the July 10th issue of BusinessWeek (on newsstands June 30th). The awards ceremony will be held at the IDSA National Conference in Austin, Texas, on September 20th.
About IDEA, Industrial Designers and IDSA
The IDEA program fosters business and public understanding about the impact of industrial design excellence on the quality of life and the economy.
Industrial designers determine the form, use features and interaction qualities of manufactured products, packaging and digital media systems. They study people at work, at home and in motion to create satisfying experiences with products from the kitchen and the office to the hospital and the warehouse, shaping these to fit their customers and to make effective use of industrial processes. In this way, industrial designers have a quiet but profound presence in almost everything people encounter during the day.
IDSA is the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession through education, information, community and advocacy.
About Insulet Corporation
Insulet Corporation, located in Bedford, Massachusetts, is an innovative, privately held, diabetes management company dedicated to designing and developing products that provide superior treatment options and lifelong health benefits to people with diabetes. Insulet Corporation employees have extensive experience in the diabetes and medical device industries. Founded in 2000, the company seeks to improve the lives of people with diabetes - and to break down the barriers to Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) therapy - through innovative design and technology, and through feedback from people with diabetes, physicians, and diabetes educators. (http://www.insulet.com)
Insulet Corporation
CONTACT: Barbara Wellnitz, +1-508-698-3374, bwellnitz@ryanwellnitz.com, orJoanne Stanway, +1-978-273-1473, jstanway@ryanwellnitz.com, both of RyanWellnitz & Associates for Insulet Corporation
Web site: http://www.insulet.com/
