ADA: Major Advance towards an Artificial Pancreas

"Smart" device that reduces low blood glucose levels overnight undergoing FDA review….

An artificial pancreas designed to turn off when blood glucose levels are too low could prevent nighttime hypoglycemia. The device includes software, an insulin pump, and sensors that track blood glucose levels continuously. With new developments, it reduced the occurrence of nighttime hypoglycemia by 32 percent by inhibiting the production of insulin for two hours after glucose levels have reached 70mg/dL.

This new feature, controlled by the MiniMed 530 G system, is essential in preventing hypoglycemia which can lead to seizures, unconsciousness and even death and occurs more often in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Rich Bergenstal, MD, Executive Director of the International Diabetes Center says, "Our work is the first large randomized controlled trial testing the threshold suspend feature. This technology promises to be valuable to patients today and is a key step in the development of a fully automated artificial pancreas for people with diabetes."

In their next step, the researchers’ aim is to program the insulin pump to turn on and secrete insulin when glucose levels are too high. Developers of the insulin pump are also targeting control of the secretion of both insulin and other hormones automatically during daytime activities.

Patients must also have the ability to manually override the pump when they do not want to wait for two hours for their levels to return to normal.

Results of an In-home Study Published in New England Journal of Medicine and Presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 73rd Scientific Sessions® Chicago (June 22, 2013)