Continuous, Accurate, Real-Time Glucose Monitoring System
Summary
According to the American Diabetes Association, there are an estimated 21 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes, as well as 54 million more (18% of the population) with pre-diabetes. If present trends continue, 1 in 3 Americans, and 1 in 2 minorities, born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. The total US annual economic cost of diabetes in the year 2002 alone was estimated to be $132 billion, and is only expected to increase along with the number of patients. The process of keeping diabetes a manageable chronic condition and averting serious complications requires constant vigilance on the part of the patient. Thus, there remains a need for a less invasive, continuous monitoring system that can display and record glucose levels in real-time, provide visual and/or audible alarms during hyper- or hypoglycemic events, and work as part of a feedback loop along with an insulin pump. Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed a biodegradable, polymer-based bio-sensing film that, when inserted just under the skin and in conjunction with a watch-like device worn over the inserted film, provides continuous, accurate, real-time glucose monitoring.
Main Advantages of Technical Approach
- Continuous, accurate, real-time glucose level feedback for the user
- Real-time monitoring ensures proper user care during critical hyper- or hypoglycemic events
- Continuous monitoring ensures user compliance
- Elimination of countless finger pricks each day due to thin biodegradable polymer film inserted by the user once a month
- Optical sensor in watch-like device worn over film eliminates conductive wires found with conventional electrical sensor
Market Potential
- Diabetic bio-sensing (21 million US diabetic patients with 54 million US pre-diabetic patients)
- Non-diabetic bio-sensing where an enzyme is present such as uric acid (lab tested), vitamin C (lab tested) and cholesterol (not yet tested) as well as other possible metabolic disorders
Inventor(s)
Arthur EpsteinLouis Nemzer
Intellectual Property Status
Patent Application #: 12/517,966Foreign Patent(s) Pending
Contact Information
Ryan Zinnzinn.7@osu.edu | 614-292-4540
Technology Licensing & Commercialization
The Ohio State University
1216 Kinnear Road
Columbus, OH 43212-1154
