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A new Bionic pancreas delivers the correct dose of insulin on its own

Automated insulin delivery

A new clinical trial has found that an automated insulin delivery device, iLet, helps adults and kids with diabetes maintain healthier blood glucose levels. In the study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that the wearable device was better at managing blood glucose levels than existing standard-of-care methods.

This is excellent news for the more than 30 million Americans who have diabetes and the estimated 84 million adults who have prediabetes. The iLet device can potentially improve the quality of life for people with diabetes and help them avoid some of the severe health complications associated with the disease.

How The iLet Device Works

The iLet is a wearable device worn on the body like a patch. It monitors the user's blood sugar levels and delivers insulin when needed. The device is programmed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels by delivering small amounts of insulin throughout the day, as well as larger doses when required (for example, after a meal).

The clinical trial involved adults and children using either multiple daily insulin injections or an insulin pump. The participants were randomly assigned to use either the iLet device or their usual insulin delivery method. After six months, the researchers found that the group using the iLet device had significantly lower average blood sugar levels than the group using standard care. In addition, the iLet group also had fewer episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The iLet device is not yet available on the market, but it is expected to be submitted for FDA approval later this year. If it receives FDA approval, it will significantly advance in treating diabetes.

Conclusion

The results of this clinical trial are auspicious and suggest that the iLet device could soon be available to help people with diabetes manage their condition more effectively. This would be a significant advance in the treatment of diabetes and could improve the quality of life for millions of people.

Source to research: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2205225

Author: Christian Kromme

First Appeared On: Disruptive Inspiration Daily