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Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
Replacing Pumps with Light Controlled Insulin Delivery
1Division of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Pharmacy, 2464 Charlotte Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. Friedmans@umkc.edu.
Purpose Of Review:
The aim of this review is to summarize the development of the photoactivated depot (PAD) approach for the minimally invasive and continuously variable delivery of insulin.
Recent Findings:
Using an insulin PAD, we have demonstrated that we can release native, bioactive insulin into diabetic animals in response to light signals from a small external LED light source. We have further shown that this released insulin retains bioactivity and reduces blood glucose. In addition, we have designed and constructed second generation materials that have high insulin densities, with the potential for multiple day delivery. The PAD approach for insulin therapy holds promise for addressing the pressing need for continuously variable delivery methods that do not rely on pumps, and their myriad associated problems.
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