JDRF celebrates another artificial pancreas breakthrough

The artificial pancreas project has reached another major milestone with an Australian youngster becoming the first person to use a new breakthrough device.

Medtronic’s MiniMed 640G System was launched last week having been developed from JDRF-funded research – representing the next crucial progression in artificial pancreas systems technology.

Four-year-old Xavier Hames was the first to receive the ‘predictive low glucose suspend’ system, designed to help achieve better glucose control through advanced protection from dangerous low glucose events.

We won’t rest until the artificial pancreas is a reality for everyone who wants one

The combined pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system is the first in the world to both automatically suspend insulin delivery when sensor glucose levels are predicted to approach a low limit and resume insulin delivery once sensor glucose levels recover to normal levels.

Predictive low glucose suspend systems are another major step in the JDRF-developed artificial pancreas development strategy.  Each step provides new features to these systems to further improve automated glucose control of the user.

The charity is currently supporting a large study in Australia testing the Medtronic 640G system to see how much low glucose events can be reduced and if this improved control can help people with low glucose unawareness restore their sensing of such lows.

In the UK, Dr Roman Hovorka, of Cambridge University, is continuing JDRF-funded advanced human trials of a fully ‘closed loop’ artificial pancreas system.

Karen Addington, Chief Executive of JDRF in the UK said: “Congratulations to our supporters on another milestone reached. But we won’t rest until the artificial pancreas is a reality for everyone who wants one.”

The product is not yet officially launched in the UK. Find out more about JDRF’s artificial pancreas project.