Dr. Roman Hovorka of Britain's University of Cambridge works for Abbott laboratories, the number one manufacturer for insulin pumps and syringe devices.
Hovorka's team has been testing devices in patients with type-1 diabetes which is an autoimmune disease.
A continuous glucose sensor is implanted under the skin, and transmits blood sugar readings to a monitor. A computer calculates the right dose of insulin, which is delivered by an insulin pump which can be worn by patients.
Dr. Aaron Kowalski of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which funds many of the artificial pancreas study teams. He says US food and Drug regulatory authorities are working fast with the manufacturing agencies to promote the release of these pumps into the market.
These new pumps would be very helpful for children with type-1 diabetes. Overnight control of blood sugars will be the easiest part of the closed loop in the juvenile age group. It will help in preventing hypoglycaemic episodes mainly which is the major risk for Type-1 diabetics on insulin injections.
Insulet Corp has a device that sticks to the skin, with a tiny tube inserted in the upper arm or stomach. It avoids the need for long tubing and stands needed for traditional insulin delivery systems.
The insulin pump also must be able to quickly shut off if blood sugar falls too low, the experts agree.
Experts predict that there is likely a market for artificial pancreas systems among people who need insulin injections and have the most severe cases of type 2 diabetes along with juvenile diabetics. But in many of the developing nations where diabetes is assuming epidemic proportions there is a great need for such insulin pump systems at affordable prices.
