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Debiotech's Insulin Nanopump™

Posted April 24, 2007 4:41 PM

From Medgadget:

Swiss firm Debiotech is teaming up with French/Italian manufacturer STMicroelectronics to bring to market a miniaturized insulin pump, bound to change the lives of countless diabetics, provided it makes through the regulatory process: The Nanopump, which relies on microfluidic MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) technology, is a breakthrough concept that allows a tiny pump to be mounted on a disposable skin patch to provide continuous insulin infusion. The Nanopump will enable substantial advancements in the availability, treatment efficiency and the quality of life of diabetes patients. The original technology was awarded the Swiss Technology Award in 2006 and this agreement brings it closer to the market. Insulin pump therapy, or Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII), is an increasingly attractive alternative to individual insulin injections that must be administered several times a day. With CSII, the patient is connected to a programmable pump attached to a storage reservoir, from which insulin is infused into the tissue under the skin. Continuous delivery throughout the day, more closely mimics the natural secretion of insulin from the pancreas.

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Re: Debiotech's Insulin Nanopump™

04/25/2007 9:13 AM

As a Type-1 diabetic for 35 years, it is very encouraging to see the level of diabetes research being conducted by researchers, private companies and universities throughout the world. Unfortunately with pump type technology, you are not curing the cause of the diabetes only mitigating the inevitable complications due to type 1 diabetes (heart attacks, strokes, blindness, neuropathy, etc). Additionally, pump type technologies also have severe side effects/complications inherent with their design, primarily infection due to the shunt which is implanted under the skin to deliver insulin.

The link below deals more with advances in autoimmune suppression research which I feel is very promising and will eventually lead to a cure for diabetes.

http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2006/11/spleen_cells_of.html

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