Internal Development | J&J Innovation Award
Internal Development | Proof of Concept diabetes sensor
The Brief:
Home-based detection of high blood sugar associated with onset of type 1 diabetes in infants and toddlers
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a disease in which the body fails to produce the hormone insulin, which is required to metabolize glucose (sugar) as an energy source, due to the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Individuals with T1D are relegated to a lifetime of checking blood sugar levels and administering a precise dose of insulin multiple times during the day to stay alive. The majority of T1D occurs in childhood. Initial symptoms include increased volume and frequency of urination, extreme thirst, bedwetting, and weight loss. If undiagnosed and untreated, T1D can quickly progress to a life-threatening metabolic imbalance called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Unfortunately, DKA, which occurs commonly in young children, can progress quickly or is often not detected until late in its course and can result in long-term health complications and even death of the affected child. The early stages of T1D are associated with increased sugar levels in the body, blood, and urine. DKA is associated with additional metabolic abnormalities, such as increased levels of ketones in the body, body fluids, and breath.
This J&J Innovation Challenge aims to develop home-based detection approaches that detect early stages of T1D in infants and toddlers to allow earlier diagnosis of T1D and avoid life-threatening DKA, as well as its associated health complications and death.
Project Development:
We developed a non-invasive biosensor for the purpose of early detection of diabetes and ketoacidosis within neonates.
We are very proud internally that Our concept and technology won the challenge's innovation category.
We are thankful for the opportunity to serve and focus our efforts to tackling diabetes. A big thank you to all at Johnson & Johnson & specifically to JLABS who are supporting us in our journey to create disease prevention products.
The concept and technology has now been patented and is licenced across to our Sister company DRUID for commercial activities relating to diabetes.