An artificial pancreas is one step closer for people with type 1 diabetes. Dutch researchers are the first in the world to have managed to reduce the equipment to pocket-size. In addition, this artificial pancreas regulates blood sugar levels automatically, so that people with diabetes do not have to inject insulin.
The artificial pancreas has been developed by researchers at the AMC, University of Twente, Rijnstate Hospital and the company Inreda. Robin Koops from Inreda, inventor of this artificial pancreas and himself a type 1 diabetes patient: "For years, scientists all over the world have been seeking an artificial pancreas, but we are the first to have succeeded in reducing it in size to such an extent that it is accessible to any diabetic patient. In addition, with this variant the patient no longer needs to do anything. Here we refer to the so-called 'closed loop'. Pricking several times a day, counting carbohydrates and injecting insulin are a thing of the past."
Accessible for everyone
In order to make the artificial pancreas accessible to everyone with type 1 diabetes in the Netherlands, Inreda has entered into a partnership with the Diabetes Foundation. Hanneke Dessing, director of Diabetes Foundation: "Technically speaking, the artificial pancreas is coming closer. The artificial pancreas as an easy to use model is really going to make the difference for 100,000 children and adults in the Netherlands with type 1 diabetes. But you're not there with technology alone. The artificial pancreas must not become a gadget that ends up on the shelf beside the mini-disc, Walkman and spacemaxer."
Implementation in practice
Synchronous to the technological developments, the Diabetes Foundation is now examining how the artificial pancreas can be used in practice. Dessing: "The artificial pancreas will take a lot out of the hands of diabetics; you no longer have to measure glucose yourself, count your carbohydrates or inject the right amount of insulin yourself. That is quite a change that will have to be properly supervised. Doctors will also have to employ the artificial pancreas in a very different manner than with current treatment methods. The Diabetes Foundation is looking for financiers, not only to develop the technology but also for the practical implementation of the artificial pancreas."
The artificial pancreas won the public award of the Herman Wijffels Innovation Award 2013
About the Diabetes Foundation
In the Netherlands, one million people have diabetes, of which 100,000 have type 1 diabetes. With diabetes, the body has difficulty maintaining the normal blood sugar level. If the blood sugar level is too high for many years, the body will suffer. And that has serious consequences: heart disease, deteriorating eyesight or blindness, damage to kidneys and nervous system. The Diabetes Foundation is working on solutions for diabetes. With scientific research, because that is the basis for improved treatment. The Diabetes Foundation therefore raises money so that more and more people remain healthy as they get old.
The research took place at the IGS Institute at the University of Twente.
