The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) has collaborated with EOFlow, a South Korean medical device company, to speed up the development of a tiny, wearable insulin pump called EOPatch.
JDRF issued a statement, with its research scientist Jaime Giraldo, Ph.D. saying:
“JDRF is working hard to reduce the burden of living with Type 1 diabetes while we search for ways to cure this disease. Innovation in automated insulin delivery devices and artificial pancreas (AP) systems will help to significantly improve health and quality of life for people with [Type 1 diabetes]. Next-generation wearable designs that are smaller and employ user-centric design will remove barriers that prevent some people, especially small children, from using these life-saving and life-changing glucose management devices.”
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The wearable, adhesive pump looks just like a mobile phone with a handheld touchscreen-enabled controller. The EOPatch stands out because of its tiny size. It is thinner, narrower and lighter than other brands. It measures 49.5 by 32 by 12.6 millimeters and weighs less than an ounce, making it ideal for children who do not like wearing bulky devices. What’s more, the device is waterproof so children can take shower or swim with the pump worn.
EOPatch can provide sustained infusion of insulin throughout the day (basal) and/or infuse additional amount of insulin over a short period of time (bolus).
Adopted 30-gauge stainless steel needle minimizes dangerous occlusion. Built-in cutting-edge sensing technology can detect occlusion fast even at the lowest infusion speed.
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Use it for up to three days and throw away the entire Patch, keeping the child from any risk of infection.
“We are very excited that EOFlow is partnering with the world’s leading private nonprofit funder of [Type 1 diabetes] research to accelerate the development of this wearable automated insulin delivery system,” EOFLow CEO Jesse Kim, said in a statement. “JDRF is a partner that believes in our vision of a small, practical, fully functional artificial pancreas system that can be used by anyone with [Type 1 diabetes] to help live a fuller life.”
JDRF is a mission-driven nonprofit organization. It has made moderate investments in various digital health companies working on Type 1 diabetes. The organization helped fund Bigfoot Biomedical’s automated insulin delivery service smartloop last year. It has also worked with IBM on using machine learning to identify and treat Type 1 diabetes and collaborated with the DIY diabetes patient community as well.
EOFlow has been working on its product since 2011. It recently received regulatory clearance from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
