First Non-Invasive Glucose Monitoring
Finally: Measuring Blood Sugar Without a Prick
Measuring blood glucose without blood? Via the interstitial fluid, continuous glucose monitoring for diabetics is now possible without penetrating the skin. GlucoModicum has developed Philips-Medisize, a wearable, non-invasive medical device.
It is a long-cherished dream of all diabetics and medical technology developers: non-invasive blood glucose measurement. Big companies like Apple are working on it with a lot of money, and what would be most desirable is a measurement directly via the smartwatch. This would not only make diabetics' everyday lives and the management of their illness immensely easier - it would also be a real technological advance and would merge medical technology functions with consumer technology.
Measurement without a prick - via interstitial fluid
The basis of much glucose measurement research is the interstitial fluid, the body fluid between blood vessels and cells. It is more easily accessible to external sensors on the skin than blood, making it a perfect target for non-invasive monitoring. Finnish company GlucoModicum discovered that magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) can be used to send small amounts of energy directly to the interstitial fluid. The technology drives the fluid to the surface of the skin, where a glucose sample is quickly and easily taken. This is the first time in 25 years that a new category of technology has been introduced for blood glucose monitoring.
MHD is a physical phenomenon in which a fluid flow is triggered by external magnetic and electric fields (Lorentz force). The same physical mechanism is already used in other biomedical applications, such as micropumps and jet injectors.
Novel wearable for diabetics
Together with Philips-Medisize, the Finns have developed a lightweight medical wearable that can be worn on the upper arm - similar to devices on the market. A clear difference, however, is that a needle no longer has to penetrate the skin - the glucose level is measured non-invasively via the MHD. This circumvents a major hurdle for many diabetics.
| "We wanted to create a solution that was needle-free, accurate and affordable so people could better monitor their blood glucose. Working with Phillips-Medisize, we've developed a best-in-class product that can help billions of people better manage their diabetes." |
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| Jokke Mäki, CEO of GlucoModicum |
The small device called Talisman adheres to the patient's arm. The MHD technology integrates ultra-sensitive biosensors and advanced algorithms, and the analysis values are sent to a smartphone for data collection and evaluations. Phillips-Medisize contributed its expertise in industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, connectivity, materials science, miniaturisation, supply chain management, software development, manufacturing, testing, quality assurance and regulatory compliance to the MedTech development.
Reliable Non-Invasive Glucose Measurement
GlucoModicum has published several test and studies on the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of its proprietary MHD technology. The results show that GlucoModicum's MHD technology and biosensors are 13 times more effective than other needle-free approaches tested in collecting interstitial fluid from the skin.
Additional tests on healthy volunteers showed that the Talisman's biosensor is eight times more sensitive to glucose molecules than comparable biosensors on the market. The medical device has not yet been approved by the FDA and does not yet have a CE mark. However, Phillips-Medisize has advised GlucoModicum on what submissions to regulatory authorities in various countries will be required to bring the first non-invasive glucose monitoring wearable to market quickly. (uh)
