JDRF Teams up with the European Artificial Pancreas Consortium

The JDRF moves forward internationally to advance the artificial pancreas.

The JDRF has partnered with a group of European academics and members of industry who are working together to advance the development of the artificial pancreas in Europe. The group, known as the European Artificial Pancreas Consortium, will pool together experts in device development, computer programming, and clinical study design/execution. Device experts will be concerned with advancing the accuracy of continuous glucose sensors and developing an advanced combined insulin pump/CGM device that will only require one invasive catheter. Computer engineers and mathematicians will work on improving the safety and efficacy of the algorithms (the computer programs that process glucose monitoring information and translate it into appropriate insulin dosing commands). Experts in clinical design and execution will work to design efficient and informative studies that will help researchers and regulatory bodies evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combined insulin pump/CGM artificial pancreas in comparison to conventional intensive insulin therapy available today. We have seen the JDRF form several new partnerships recently, dedicated to advancing the development of the artificial pancreas, both in the US and abroad. While a fully automated insulin delivery system is the ultimate goal, work in the next several years will probably yield a system in which the user still plays a decision-making role during the daytime. Although the user will have a role in insulin dosing, this system will likely feature extra tools such as exercise and meal announcements to help users dose insulin more easily. We’re very impressed by the researchers involved in this agreement in the EU and impressed that JDRF put forward this partnership so quickly – we look forward to watching what happens in the EU and we hope lobbying happens in the US so that those stateside don’t get left too far behind. -- JS