Ever wonder what IT might exist like if we could ditch all of our clunky glucose monitoring gear for a tiny sensor, smaller than a benniseed, implanted nether the skin that would continuously send readings to a smartphone? That's the vision of Integrated Medical Sensors, a comparatively new CGM inauguration in Irvine, CA, borne proscribed of Caltech research, developing a continual glucose monitor unlike anything else on the market. Their implantable sensor is so small IT could easily get lost on the tip of a finger operating room the font of a centime, and it will last under the skin for as long as six to nine months!

It's still a shipway drink down the road (if it really ever so does come to market), but what they think of is rather interesting and worth a deeper look. We invited IMS to exhibit at our D-Information ExChange event last November, and since then we've had the pleasure of connecting with members of their squad some their work. Here's what IMS tells us, in a nutshell, about its team and the organisation they're building.

Research Origins

This project was started at Caltech (the Golden State Institute of Applied science in Pasadena) as Dr. Mujeeb-U-Rahman's graduate enquiry project in 2010. Atomic number 2 started from scratch supported his interest and motivation to develop a high-impact biomedical device that rear end gain millions of patients.

Mehmet Sencan was the first student to join Dr. Rahman in 2010, followed by two other classify fellows. The core team has been working together since, first at Caltech and later at IMS.

Power Team

The nitty-gritty team consists of those terzetto Caltech graduates:

  • Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb-U-Rahman – PhD in Electrical Engineering whose first search focused on ontogenesis of miniaturized implantable wireless sensing platforms. His post-doctorial influence convergent on development of a wireless glucose sensing platform consisting of the miniaturized sensor he improved for his Ph.D. along with a receiving set transmitter system and smartphone app for data processing and management. He has a rattling personal connexion and motivation as his mother is polygenic disease.
  • Dr. Meisam Honarvar Nazari – PhD in EE whose research was centralized on low-power, superior Mixed-Fashion Microcircuit design with applications for short-change distance communication and biomedical applications. His send-doctoral work focused happening development of high-performance ASIC design for the implantable glucose sensor project and design of wireless reader computer hardware. He has a personal connection with diabetes too, as his auntie passed gone from the effects of diabetes complications.
  • Mr. Mehmet Sencan – BS in Applied Physical science whose undergrad research focused happening optimization of electrochemical sensor geometry direct multiphysics modeling, model, fabrication and examination. He also developed instrumentation apparatus to functionalize and test miniaturized chemistry sensors for glucose and other analyte sensing. His close friend and then-college roomie was extant with diabetes.

Mega-Tiny Sensing element

The IMS sensing element they've created is the world's smallest — smaller than a sesame seed on a beigel (0.6mm x 3mm x 0.1mm). It goes under the skin 2-3mm, as compared to transcutaneous CGM sensors which are closer to 10mm deep. This is much 1,000 times smaller than the side by side smallest sensing element being industrial aside other companies and more than 10,000 times smaller than currently available sensing devices.

Nidation & Removal

The sensor wish represent injected under the skin exploitation a simple needle (smaller than the needle used for blood draws; importantly smaller than needles used for other implants) and trocar injector (the first version has been developed and tested).

The detector has the voltage to oeuvre for 6-9 months before it Michigan functioning accurately. Spell inserted, talks directly to a Transmitter worn on the arm, communicating to a mobile app victimization Bluetooth Low Energy. Information technology will be removed using a dolabriform outpatient procedure consisting of fashioning a small incision (low local anaesthesia) and pulling the detector out via a connected biocompatible thread.

Impressive Accuracy

IMS says their current MARD (mean absolute proportional difference) value is comparable to last generation of FDA-approved sensors, and will be encourage better atomic number 3 their chemistry and signal processing improves. Their intense emphasis so furthest has been development of the hardware political platform. Thereupon complete, they can now shift focus to "chemistry optimization" to meliorate their MARD and device length of service. "Good news is that many experts rich person been working on this chemistry for a while and thither are noted techniques to optimize its performance," the partners Tell us.

Data Connectivity &ere; Interoperability

The IMS Transmitter — a Pieris rapae impressionable block the user straps to their gir Beaver State wrist — uses Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate with a smartphone.

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OK, this seems a bit bulky by today's standards and doesn't feel all too sympathetic. And information technology's not something that would even be too prudent worn underneath clothing. The IMS team points out this is a offse-generation image. The next version will be just ane-third of the sized, and they're working to integrate their Vector's functionality with clothing tech already on the grocery store, i.e. smartwatches and fitness tracking bands. Soh IT's possible once this is ready for prime clip, the Sender won't even make up needed.

The mobile app provides data viewing and sharing, by communication information to a secure database; allows users to add intellectual nourishment and action data and localize in the lead alarms; and will desegregate with lifestyle apps (e.g. fitness tracking) to help track each day routines like physical exertion schedules and dining times and options.

The standard CGM profile accustomed send data over Bluetooth Low Push allows information consolidation with other devices in one case the user sets up a secure connection.

CGM Competition

Sure, there's the similar Eversense CGM by Senseonics currently under FDA review, but patients don't have access to that yet either, and IMS believes their version will be even little and better for PWDs. Eversense's Transmitter is a disastrous plastic second power that's chunkier than IMS's, and must constitute worn directly over the detector insertion spot.

To instance their edge over the competition at our #DData17 event in November, IMS showed this equipment failure of the various companies with existent CGM products operating room practical connected next-coevals applied science:

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Development Progress

IMS says they have already mature a fully functioning rendering of all system components and tested those in labs with small animals. They hope to begin hominine trials presently, and complete their outset regulative submission in EU by 2020, and to FDA by 2021.

Are they looking to license or sell this technology to a larger company for eventual manufacturing and merchandising? They didn't scuttlebutt on a possible acquisition, but the IMS leadership did read, "We would comparable to work with a company with established sales, merchandising and distribution channels to be able to reach to nd users in a fast and trustworthy fashion."

Very interesting! We sure as shooting rich person our doubts about how soon or realistic this type of implantable tech may be, but it's for certain worth knowing about.