Artificial pancreas ‘offers substantial potential in diabetes treatment’

A team of US researchers have been able to develop a new implantable artificial pancreas that could revolutionise the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

The University of California Santa Barbara scientists have created an implant that features an algorithm to monitor blood sugar levels in the body in real time, allowing it to calculate an insulin dose that it delivers quickly and automatically when necessary.

Computer testing of the algorithm simulated the rise and fall of glucose that would correspond to meals and an overnight period of sleep, with the artificial pancreas subsequently shown to maintain blood glucose within the target range nearly 80 percent of the time.

Current type 1 diabetes treatment methods involve multiple daily injections or insulin pump therapy, both requiring the user to actively track glucose and calculate the needed insulin dose, thus resulting in a significant time lag.

The researchers say they will soon test the device in animals, bringing the innovative implant a step closer to human use.

Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, but usually appears before the age of 40, particularly in childhood. Although this form only accounts for ten percent of total diabetes cases, it is the most common type of childhood diabetes.