Novo Nordisk receives Good Design Award from Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization

Novo Nordisk has been awarded a Good Design Award(TM) for NovoTwist(TM), the new needle designed for use with the insulin delivery device FlexPen(R). The needle, which has a simple 'just twist' attachment and detachment, makes injection easier for people with diabetes.

The Good Design Award(TM) (also known as G-Mark Award) from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization is a mark of true quality and gives recognition to the uniqueness of NovoTwist(TM). Nearly 3,000 entries were narrowed down by the judging panel and NovoTwist(TM) was selected for an award in the 'Society - Medical Equipment' section. Previous winners of the Good Design Award(TM) include Apple, Toshiba, Toyota and Nintendo. The Good Design Award(TM) highlights the unique design features of NovoTwist(TM). The judges specifically commented that "Conventional screw thread needles can be difficult to attach and detach, especially for the elderly, as limited manual dexterity and hand strength make the circular motion of screw attachment/detachment challenging. NovoTwist(TM) has solved this problem with a simple functional design with a push-and- twist needle attachment/detachment system."

When used with FlexPen(R), three out of four patients prefer NovoTwist(TM) to conventional needles, and patients find NovoTwist(TM) easier to use, less timeconsuming and more user-friendly than conventional needles. These benefits may be important to people with diabetes who seek easier and more discreet methods of self-administering insulin.

"Given the general anxiety that some people with diabetes can suffer when using any injection device, the new developments with NovoTwist(TM) are a big step forward in terms of user-friendliness," says diabetes nurse Barbel Sommavilla (Diabetes Education Center, Salzburg, Austria) who was involved in a key study assessing patients' preference for insulin pen needles. According to Sommavilla et al 2008, the needle is preferred by people with diabetes.