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NEWS FLASH: First Nanopump Prototype Ready for Manufacturing
The Swiss medical device specialists at Debiotech and STMicroelectronics have announced the first “evaluation prototypes” of the unique “highly miniaturized disposable insulin pump” they’ve been working on for several years. As you can see, it’s literally the size of a credit card. I wrote about it last spring, lamenting that these things always 
take ages to make it to market.
Well, it seems they’ve “moved a step closer to market availability” this week with the unveiling of working prototypes now ready for mass production. Cool!
From the press release:
“The tiny device can be mounted on a disposable skin patch to provide continuous insulin infusion, enabling substantial advancements in the availability, treatment efficiency and the quality of life of diabetes patients. The breakthrough Nanopump, which relies on microfluidic MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) technology, has successfully passed initial testing stages and is now ready to enter volume manufacturing.”
Of particular note from the company’s materials (see my emphasis in italics):
“Microfluidic technology also provides better control of the administered insulin doses, more closely mimicking the natural secretion of insulin from the pancreas, while detecting potential malfunctions of the pump to further protect patients…
“Each pump actuation injects only 200 nanoliters of drug, and reproducibility is better than 2%, bringing it very close to physiological delivery of insulin. This precise control may also allow the use of more concentrated insulin, once available on the market. It should also extend the use of pumps for children who have low needs of insulin…”
“As a disposable device, manufactured using high-volume semiconductor processing technologies, the MEMS-based Nanopump is also much more affordable… Unlike other insulin pumps, the Insulin Nanopump™ does not require any substantial financial investment upfront….”
“Its design with a permanent part containing the electronics and a disposable part containing the reservoir and the pumping mechanism, makes it affordable and attractive for every patient.”
I wonder how much longer till we can get even more details (like actual price) and get our hands on some units for the community to test drive?
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While this product does look AWESOME, I am mildly concerned about the phrase “more concentrated insulin.” That sounds like a headache waiting to happen.
I haven’t been a diabetic for very long, but didn’t there used to be different formulas like U-50, U-100, U-500, etc? Didn’t this cause a lot of problems, which is why they moved to a standard U-100? As such, I am surprised that a pump company would consider making a statement like that.
Anyway, I can’t wait to get more details on this because this looks like an absolutely beautiful product.
Posted by: Amalas | June 24th, 2008 at 1:34 pmI too was surprised by the comment regarding “more concentrated insulin, once available on the market” largely because the U-500 variety already has a significantly slower pharmacokinetic profile than less concentrated varieties including today’s de-facto standard U-100. Its also worth noting that U-40, for example, worked faster than today’s Humalog/Novolog/Apidra analogs, but we can expect some delays with the überconcentrated stuff!
Posted by: Scott | June 24th, 2008 at 1:50 pmYes, I’m also curious about the phrase more concentrated insulin. More insulin per mL? That will drastically change dosing, especially for those of us who are super insulin-sensitive. I actually love my Humalog. I tried Apidra for 3 weeks and it was terrible for me. I had skyrocketing post-prandial highs all of a sudden, leading me to believe Apidra has a shorter duration of action and different kinetics altogether. I learned not to take switching insulins lightly.
Posted by: LaurenK | June 24th, 2008 at 2:40 pmHi-
With the thin channels in the device, the small volumes to be transported, and the use of more concentrated insulin does anyone else start to worry about increasing probability of the device being a clogged infusion line just waiting to happen??
mcityrk
Posted by: mcityrk | June 24th, 2008 at 7:25 pmOkay, I may be naive, but this is different from the Omnipod how? That the “PDA” is ON the pump? Think it might be kind of difficult (for ME) to program since I can’t always see my sites (very well anyway).
U-500 insulin doesn’t bother me, I’ve used it in the pump before. For the insulin resistant diabetic, it’s nice not having to change out so often.
Anyway, I’m all for new technology and can’t wait to hear more about it.
Posted by: yeawho | June 25th, 2008 at 8:02 amOk, my question is this – is it going to be a stick on pump like the pod? Or a traditional clip on your belt, since I do see a tube sticking out of it?
I like the size. I like the small dosing – that’s a HUGE benefit to kids.
I like that advances are coming.
Ian just pulled out his cozmo and laid it on my debit card. Guess what ? It’s the size of a debit card already, so this new pump isn’t remarkably smaller – just a LOT thinner.
Posted by: Michelle | June 25th, 2008 at 8:43 amI did the same thing when I saw this picture – pulled out a credit card and sized it up. The Minimed Paradigm is the same size as a credit card already. Then I went online and found the dimensions for the nanopump – listed in mm, I converted to inches here – 2.5 x 1.5 x .43. That is 3/8 of an inch shorter, 3/8 of an inch narrower, and about 1/8 of an inch thinner than my Paradigm (maybe your son uses a different pump Michelle, but that’s not a lot thinner than mine!) I can’t fit the Paradigm under clothes, and I don’t see how this one would be any better. I get that insulin has mass and as a liquid can’t be compressed… but it can take the form of any container. So why, when the major piece of mechanical equipment (the pumping mechanism) is a chip smaller than a fingertip, is this device STILL SO HUGE??? Is the insulin still stored in a tube-shaped reservoir?
My HbA1c is in the low sixes, and I am very comfortable with the cost/benefit of my level of control. I don’t like to obsess over every microscopic detail – so the capability to dose teensy-tiny boluses and program my basal to .02 microliters does not appeal to me. I’m also not afraid of my pump (in six years I’ve only had one minor problem), so the prospect of clogging doesn’t concern me. I just need something UNOBTRUSIVE and LIVEABLE. I had been hoping this might be it, and I am once again very, very disappointed.
Posted by: Angela | June 29th, 2008 at 6:10 am