Administering insulin on daily basis is cumbersome for type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients with a busy lifestyle. While devices such as insulin pumps, pens, and jet injectors have made living with diabetes less stressful by ridding users of relatively painful insulin delivering devices such as needles and syringes. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is working in collaboration with many industry players such as Medtronic, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, and Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. to develop innovative insulin and glucose monitoring systems/devices.
The artificial pancreas is the outcome of these collaborations which is also encouraged for use by the FDA. Artificial pancreas device system (APDS) consists of an insulin pump, sensor, transmitter, and receiver. MiniMed 530G from Medtronic, Inc. was the first artificial pancreas device system (APDS) approved by FDA. This threshold suspends the device system enables temporary suspension of insulin delivery when the glucose level is lower than the threshold level. Another system, Medtrum’s P6 Easy Touch Disposable Pump is a semi-closed loop artificial pancreas that is under clinical trials in Europe. Many such systems are under clinical trials and expected to be launched in near future in the global artificial pancreas device system (APDS) market. Developed economies in North America, Europe, and the Pacific region would be the potential regional opportunities for this novel system in the global artificial pancreas device system (APDS) market.
In 2016, the U.S. FDA approved a hybrid closed-loop artificial pancreas device system (APDS) MiniMed 670G which is an automated system. The continuous glucose monitor in the system automatically sends signals to the insulin pump to deliver insulin when the glucose level in the body goes beyond the acceptable limit. Thus, there is no need for the user to stimulate the release of insulin every time the glucose level is abnormal. This provides the user freedom to perform his/her daily activities. Such advancement in T1D management is expected to be highly preferred by the users and medical community, leading to higher advocacy to use this device, especially among the patient group using insulin pumps. Moreover, in mid-2018, a study will test a bihormonal “bionic pancreas” system at the Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) and Boston University. This would further fuel the artificial pancreas device system (APDS) market growth and attract more investments.