Technology to Control Glucose

Griffin P. Rodgers M.D Director of the National Institute Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) at NIH, appeared before the Senate Special Committee on Aging in July to discuss how technology is needed to improve glucose control since self-managing blood glucose levels is a huge burden for those with type 1 diabetes.

He told the Committee that technology is needed to fully automate blood glucose sensing and provide for the correct dosage of insulin. The artificial pancreas is designed to replace the pancreas’ lost ability to secrete insulin and uses a sensor to monitor blood glucose levels along with insulin delivery devices.

Also needed is a way for the sensor and delivery device to communicate so that glucose levels are automatically maintained within an acceptable range. This is referred to as a closed-loop artificial pancreas system.

This would make it possible for an artificial pancreas to sense when insulin is needed and automatically administer just the right dose at the right time, making it easier and safer to maintain the tight glucose control that is needed to help reduce diabetic complications.

Rodgers told the Committee about a recent study that tested two different closed-loop artificial pancreas systems in a hospital setting with trial volunteers testing both devices. It was found from this short term trial that by monitoring the volunteers 24/7, blood glucose levels were kept in the desirable range.

As early trials support the safety and effectiveness of the technology in a controlled environment, trials are moving from hospital settings to diabetes camps. FDA has approved a clinical study for an artificial pancreas that will take place at a diabetes camp. This is a major milestone for the artificial pancreas as it will be the first camp study in the U.S.

Looking at the progress made at NIDDK, Rogers discussed how the Institute has recently funded new research to encourage human studies and technological advances toward a user-friendly wearable artificial pancreas device.

Furthermore, in April, NIDDK, FDA, and JDRF co-sponsored a workshop on “Innovation Towards an Artificial Pancreas”. In addition, the NIDDK is supporting type 1 diabetes-focused interdisciplinary bioengineering training programs to encourage the next generation of bioengineers to tackle the difficult technological problems faced by the diabetes field.