Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, has launched NovoFine Plus 32G 4 mm, an ultra-thin, ultra-short universal pen needle in Canada which aims to make injections more comfortable for patients with diabetes. Canada is the first country to make NovoFine Plus available and will be followed by several other countries during 2014 and 2015.

NovoFine Plus is as thin as two human hairs and 4 mm long, making it the shortest needle Novo Nordisk has ever made. Its thinness and length are associated with less pain and less risk of intramuscular injection.

Studies have shown that people with type 2 diabetes are often reluctant towards initiating insulin therapy, with needle anxiety cited as a common barrier to initiation. Therefore, good design and user-friendly features that take into account patient concerns, such as ease of use and comfort, are important.

As NovoFine Plus uses SuperFlow technology, it also offers patients faster injections that need less force. It is compatible with all major pen devices and has been designed to reduce the risk of bending or breakage.

“We know needle anxiety can be a real barrier when people with diabetes start insulin therapy, and in some people this fear really compromises their treatment. Novo Nordisk is committed to improving diabetes care and as part of our broad portfolio within treatment, devices and needles, we’re pleased to provide this new option to people with diabetes,” says Jesper Kløve, senior vice president, Device R&D, Novo Nordisk.

Key features includes: NovoFine Plus reduces the risk of intramuscular injections because it is only 4 mm long; as a comparison, the thickness of the skin varies between 1.9 mm and 2.4 mm around the body10,11 (even in people with a high BMI). This means that a 4 mm needle can be used for proper injection with minimal risk of intramuscular injection; the short length of NovoFine Plus means it can be inserted into the skin at a 90º angle without the need to create a ‘skin fold’ before injecting and the flat hub of the needle is designed to make injections more comfortable; NovoFine Plus uses SuperFlow technology, which increases the width of the internal bore without increasing the outer diameter of the needle. This increases the flow rate and reduces the resistance and force needed to deliver the  treatment dose through the needle which can be important factors for patients with limited manual dexterity or reduced hand strength, such as children or the elderly and NovoFine Plus has a triple bevel design that may reduce the penetration force required to puncture the skin.

Novo Nordisk launched the world’s first pen needle for insulin in 1985; since then the company has striven to improve the injection experience for patients by developing smaller and thinner needles. Novo Nordisk uses advanced technology and design to offer pen needles that provide a more comfortable, convenient and simple injection experience.

Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within haemophilia care, growth hormone therapy and hormone replacement therapy.