Miniature insulin pump could hit shelves next year

Medical Tribune September 2008 P12
David Brill


Prototypes of a miniaturized insulin
pump, which are less than a quarter of
the size of existing devices, were unveiled
recently by a partnership of two Swiss
companies.
The NanopumpTM, which promises
greater convenience and comfort for diabetic
patients, has entered manufacturing
and could be ready for the market as soon
as next year.
The device can be fully programmed
by the patient, enabling them to input
their own specific insulin delivery schedule.
It is worn as a disposable skin patch,
connected to a storage reservoir, which
provides continuous subcutaneous infusion
throughout the day.
“The Nanopump represents the most
advanced use of microfluidic microelectro-
mechanical system technology in
diabetes treatment,” said Mr. Alberto de
Marco, director of the healthcare business
unit at STMicroelectronics, the Genevabased
company, which co-manufactured
the device.
“Semiconductor manufacturing technology
makes the Nanopump much more
affordable [when] compared to current
solutions, while reaching a higher magnitude
in terms of reliability and precision.
It is an attractive alternative to individual
insulin injections that must be administered
several times a day,” he said.
At present the NanopumpTM simply
follows its program and is unable to adjust
to the patient’s insulin levels. In future,
however, it could potentially be compatible
with continuous glucose monitoring
devices, de Marco said.
The prototype is the result of a partnership
between STMicroelectronics and
Debiotech, a medical device company
based in Lausanne, which was announced
in April last year.
Several failure-detection methods have
been incorporated into the NanopumpTM
in order to protect the patient from potential
malfunctions, de Marco added.