Next step toward artificial pancreas from Medtronic

In a step toward the developing an artificial pancreas, Medtronic announced that the results of the in-clinic ASPIRE (Automation to Simulate Pancreatic Insulin REsponse) study, published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. Patients using the MiniMed Paradigm System featuring Low Glucose Suspend (LGS) automation showed a 19% reduction in time spent below the low glucose threshold, compared to conventional pump therapy. The LGS feature of the integrated insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor works by automatically suspending insulin delivery if the sensor glucose value is equal to or below the low threshold value. "Until now we have never had a therapy designed to automatically intervene when blood glucose becomes dangerously low, which is the greatest fear and biggest challenge in achieving better glucose control in patients with diabetes," said Satish K. Garg, professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes.