The optimisations of the MuSiC4Diabetes device
Music4diabetes aims to develop a fully automated artificial pancreas for people living with type 1 diabetes that rely on the integration of multiple sensing tools and a physiologic intraperitoneal delivery of insulin. In this article, Prof. Claudio Cobelli, from partner institution UniversitĂ degli Studi di Padova, walks us through two major innovations of the device.
đź“Š Multi-metabolite measurement
The major novelty of this project is the creation of a multi-metabolite sensor able to measure not only glucose – that is currently the only measure we use to adjust insulin delivery in people with diabetes – but also two key metabolites – ketone bodies and lactate. Ketone bodies are produced by our body when we don’t have enough insulin and their increase is a fundamental safety signal that informs on the performance of the entire system. Lactate is the metabolic equivalent of an activity tracker. Every time we do a physical activity, lactate rises and anticipates any other metabolic change. By mimicking this ability to track metabolic levels in real time, the new artificial pancreas will be able to identify activity without requiring any announcement by the user.
đź’‰ Intraperitoneal insulin delivery
The use of intraperitoneal insulin delivery provides a physiological route for insulin administration, minimizes peripheral excess of insulin, and is expected to rapidly adapt insulin delivery during daily activities such as sports and meals. A rapid route for insulin delivery administration is of pivotal importance to envision a fully automated artificial pancreas. Ultimately, this innovative device helps people with diabetes focus less on their condition and live more freely.
Prof. Claudio Cobelli, UniversitĂ degli Studi di Padova