NEWS
An artificial pancreas app developed with support from JDRF
has been licensed for use in the UK.
ARTIFICIAL ASSISTANCE
P
ioneering diabetes
researcher Professor
Roman Hovorka
has launched the
world's first licensed,
downloadable artificial pancreas app for
people with Type 1 diabetes.
The CamAPS FX app works with an
insulin pump and a glucose monitor to
automatically deliver insulin to people via
a sophisticated algorithm. Prof Hovorka,
from the University of Cambridge, hopes
it will become available on the NHS and
take over most of the management of
Type 1 diabetes - particularly at night,
when potentially dangerous low blood
glucose levels can occur.
The app can also upload the user's
blood glucose measurements seamlessly
to diasend, an online platform, allowing
their diabetes team to provide more
personalised care. The CamAPS FX app
is backed by 13 years of clinical research
carried out by Professor Hovorka and his
research group, and funded by JDRF,
Diabetes UK, the National Institute for
Health Research, the National Institutes
of Health, Horizon 2020, and The Leona
M and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust.
It is licensed for use by both
adults and children with the condition,
including pregnant women, and children
aged one and up. It is the first artificial
pancreas system to be licensed for use
in pregnancy, or by young children. The
app is now available for UK users to
download onto Android phones via the
Amazon Appstore. The app is available on
subscription, starting at £70 per month.
The app is supported by a small
number of UK diabetes clinics. People
NEWS
REPORT
who wish to use the app will need to
confirm which clinic they attend and
must be using a Dana RS pump and a
Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor.
But Professor Hovorka and his research
team will work to continue to bring this
technology to all who need it, via the NHS.
Key to this will be the generation of data
to support the case for NHS provision.
Artificial pancreas app
The CamAPS FX app is the first
step towards a fully automated and
interoperable artificial pancreas. Fully
automated and interoperable artificial
pancreas technology will fundamentally
change life for those living with Type 1
diabetes, by working with a range of
insulin pumps and glucose monitors to lift
the burden of managing a condition that
is relentlessly unpredictable day and night.
Professor Hovorka will continue to
refine the artificial pancreas through
research into mealtime glucose
control and improving ease of use. He
comments, "This is a major steppingstone towards
providing widely available,
clinically proven, and user-friendly artificial
pancreas technology to people with Type
1 diabetes. Our aim is to alleviate the
ever-present burden of type 1 diabetes
and improve health outcomes. This is
the outcome of hard work, with more to
come. We are indebted to all who are
helping us on this journey. A leader of data
visualisation and analytic tools for Type 1
diabetes, Glooko/diasend is supporting
the CamAPS FX app in helping people
with the condition to live better lives."
jdrf.org.uk/APS-changing-lives
ABOVE: Professor Roman
Hovorka from the University
of Cambridge. BELOW: The
CamAPS FX app on a
mobile phone screen.