PRINCETON, N.J. — Novo Nordisk is offering what it said is the first-ever mobile insulin dosing guide for doctors to look up dosing guidelines and blood glucose goals for their patients with diabetes.

Called NovoDose, the guide is available as a free download application for Apple iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad mobile devices at www.novodose.com/app and through the Apple App Store.

The tool is specific to Novo Nordisk’s insulin analog drug portfolio: Levemir (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection), NovoLog (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection), and NovoLog Mix 70/30 (70% insulin aspart protamine suspension and 30% insulin aspart injection, [rDNA origin]).

Novo Nordisk said that through a series of questions with easy touch-screen answers, NovoDose allows physicians to select the type of insulin they want to research and review suggested guidelines for dosing, titration and even blood glucose goals for their patients. The app also provides key safety information on the products, and only those who self-identify as health care professionals can download the app.

The drug maker noted that the technology is part of a trend of doctors using handheld devices such as PDAs and smartphones when treating their patients. According to a survey conducted by Manhattan Research of nearly 2,000 physicians, 70% believe their PDA/smartphone is "essential" to their practice, and 81% want more apps related to their specialty.

Novo Nordisk added that specific to its dosing guide app, 44% of those polled have accessed a dosing calculator online from their phone, and 61% would prefer to access a dose calculator through their PDA versus their computer.

"Physicians are embracing the Internet as part of how they practice medicine — from accessing clinical trials online to networking with peers across the country through sites like SERMO. Most physicians agree that access to information online is an asset to their practice," stated Camille Lee, vice president of diabetes marketing for Novo Nordisk. "We’re taking that one step further with NovoDose by literally putting that information in the palm of their hands."