New Delhi: Debiotech and STMicroelectronics announced a strategic cooperation agreement aimed at manufacturing and delivering to the market a miniaturized insulin-delivery pump. The Nanopump, which relies on microfluidic MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) technology, is a concept that allows a tiny pump to be mounted on a disposable skin patch to provide continuous insulin infusion. The Nanopump will enable substantial advancements in the availability, treatment efficiency and the quality of life of diabetes patients. The original technology was awarded the Swiss Technology Award in 2006 and this agreement brings it closer to the market.
The MEMS-based Nanopump also provides better control of the administered insulin doses. Dosing precision is a critical factor in treatment efficacy and contributes to reducing adverse long-term consequences. The Nanopump is able to control delivery at the nanoliter level, very close to the physiological delivery of insulin. The device prevents over-dosing and detects under-delivery, occlusion, air bubbles and other potential malfunctions in the pump to further protect patients. As a disposable device, manufactured using high-volume semiconductor processing technologies, the MEMS-based Nanopump will also be much more affordable, allowing the patient or the health system to avoid the typical up-front investment associated with current pump solutions.
Anton Hofmeister, group vice president and general manager of ST’s Microfluidic Division, said, “ST’s increasing focus on applying its semiconductor manufacturing processes and growing experience in microfluidic biotech applications affords us the potential to improve lives for millions of people around the world. Working with Debiotech, a leading developer of innovative biomedical applications, we are committed to the industrialization of the insulin Nanopump that aspires to push the boundaries of diabetes treatment.”
Frederic Neftel, MD, president & CEO of Debiotech SA, stated, “This collaboration with ST represents a major step in manufacturing of the Nanopump to make it available to a broad market at a cost compatible with a unique disposable use. ST is a world leader in MEMS manufacturing and we are very excited to be working together to bring a real innovation to diabetic patients, offering a new way to treat one of the most severe diseases of our century.”
STMicroelectronics
