Dr Edward Damiano introduces the iLet, which he calls, “a bridge to a cure.” The device is a bionic pancreas that delivers both insulin and glucagon every five minutes as required.

The University of Cambridge develops an artificial pancreas that pairs the technology of an insulin pump with a continuous glucose monitor.

More than 470 people with type 1 diabetes receive islet cell transplantation, they do not need to administer insulin as long as they use immunosuppressant drugs.

The introduction of the insulin pens was a milestone in insulin delivery. The first insulin pen, the NovoPen, was launched by Novo Nordisk in 1985.

Home glucose self-monitoring becomes a reality and is rapidly adopted in Australia.

Home glucose self-monitoring becomes a reality and is rapidly adopted in Australia.

Biotechnology firm Genentech uses recombinant DNA techniques to produce synthetic “human” insulin. Insulin is the first human protein to be manufactured through biotechnology.

Dean Kamen invents the first wearable infusion pump while he was an undergraduate physics student. This first invention would go on to have applications in many aspects of the medical field not only for insulin delivery but chemotherapy and other endocrinological conditions.

Dr Arnold Kadish’s prototype delivered glucagon as well as insulin. The initial model by Kadish delivered not only insulin but also glucagon. The first pump was essentially an artificial pancreas that could be worn on the back.

The first intermediate duration insulin is released for use in humans by Novo Nordisk. Lente insulin is no longer marketed for use in humans, in part because health care providers began to favour more predictable forms of insulin.