Advances in diabetes management are among the most exciting in medical care, particularly with wearable continuous glucose monitors (CGM), insulin pumps, and algorithm-driven closed-loop artificial pancreas systems. We’ve written about Medtronic’s artificial pancreas wearable and other systems that combine a CGM from one company and an insulin pump from another. We’ve also noted research that found closed-loop systems make lives better.
Grenoble-based Diabeloop created a proprietary, AI-managed diabetes management solution for adults with Type 1 diabetes. Diabeloop worked in partnership with CEA-Leti, a French research institute for electronics and information technologies also based in Grenoble. Diabeloop’s DBLG1 is a self-learning system with a CGM and a “locked-down” handset with Diabeloop’s user interface and algorithms to direct an insulin pump to deliver insulin as the needed. At CES 2019, Diabeloop presented its plan to adapt the DBLG1 for use with children with Type 1 diabetes. The algorithms will need to be adapted to childrens’ varied physiology and pace of life and for all body types. The goals are to improve pediatric quality of life, increase longevity, and relieve caregiver stress.
The DBLG1 system received the CE mark to sell in Europe but isn’t yet FDA approved for marketing or sales in the U.S. Diabeloop is set to begin clinical trials with children with Type 1 diabetes in Belgium and France in 2019.
