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An artificial pancreas currently in development could ultimately help diabetes patients keep blood sugar levels normal, without lifting – or pricking – a finger. Though the device’s exact setup hasn’t been determined, plans include implanted glucose-monitoring sensors that would transmit information to an insulin pump, with dosing determined by algorithm.
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) announced today a partnership with Animas Corporation to further the the artificial pancreas’ development. With JDRF contributing $8 million in support to a big-time company like Animas, the team expects to apply for regulatory approval within the next four years.
“A lot of people want relief – they don’t want to have to worry if they’ll go blind or if they’ll develop heart problems because of poor blood sugar management,” Aaron Kowalski, assistant vice president for Glucose Control Research at JDRF, said at the press conference. “This is one of the biggest leaps forward we’ve had for this cause in years.”
The first generation of the artificial pancreas will still require routine blood sugar monitoring and insulin dosing by users, Kowalski says, but the system will kick in should glucose levels go to a dangerous extreme. Down the line, a fully automated, closed-loop system is the goal, which could eliminate the need for outside monitoring, as well as give a break to those who don’t like the sight of a pricked finger.
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