Insulet hopes to see 600,000 insulin pumps by end-2009

CHICAGO Insulin pump maker Insulet has a big goal for the end of next year.

The company hopes to increase production of its disposable insulin pump for diabetics, the OmniPod, to 600,000 by the end of 2009. Its main competitor, Medtronic, announced earlier this month that it plans to start selling a tubeless insulin patch within two years.

Insulet’s plan involves the OmniPod, an insulin pump smaller and easier to wear than other pumps. Most pumps have several feet of tubes that patients must hide under their clothing, but the OmniPod delivers insulin directly through a small tube.

Insulet said it plans to increase production by the end of this year to 200,000 pumps per month, enough to supply 12,000 patients.

Insulin pumps are used as replacements for the several injections diabetics must take by syringe or insulin pen every day. Most users of the pumps have Type 1 diabetes.