The device is designed to constantly monitor and adjust the user’s glucose levels, Edward Damiano, PhD, told Bostonia. “Glucose levels stream from a small sensor/transmitter unit worn by the person into a receiver, and the receiver then passes data into an iPhone, where an app with our algorithm makes a therapeutic decision to dose either insulin or glucagon, with two small infusion pumps, every five minutes,” he said.
At last week’s American Diabetes Association’s 74th Scientific Sessions in San Francisco, Dr. Damiano and colleagues presented the results of a controlled study that showed the device helped a group of teenagers reduce their instance of hypoglycemia better than traditional human monitoring and insulin shots.
Because of these positive results, Dr. Damiano has received approval to continue human trials. His goal is to have the device through the Food and Drug Administration’s approval process within three years — in time for his diabetic son to take the device with him to college.
“My whole life I’ve just known — just had this knowledge that my dad is going to have this bionic pancreas out when I go to college,” Dr. Damiano’s son, David, told NPR. “I’m confident in him. He works really hard — really hard.”
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