Initial Products. GlySens Incorporated is currently developing an implantable long term continuous glucose monitoring sensor that is designed to provide an unobtrusive means to continuously track glucose levels and improve the lives of people with diabetes. An initial system release will comprise two elements: the long-lived fully implanted sensor and an external monitor with a display.

The sensor resides completely under the skin and continuously monitors the glucose levels in the subcutaneous tissue, which are correlated to blood glucose levels. The sensor transmits the glucose measurements wirelessly to a convenient external display device. This device indicates the current blood glucose level, shows a historical chart of the previous blood glucose values, provides adjustable automatic warnings of high and low blood glucose readings, and stores information for easy analysis by the user or physician.

GlySens has designed this system to be useful by people of all ages and activity levels, and to be unobtrusive. Unlike certain other continuous sensor approaches, the GlySens long term sensor does not require wires or needles protruding through the skin, and reports glucose levels without any devices attached to the outside of the body. The wireless display device is designed to operate even when located at some distance from the sensor to allow continuous and comfortable monitoring during many daily activities including work, exercise, bathing, and sleep.

Enabling technology. A new means for reliable, acceptable continuous glucose monitoring is needed to improve therapeutics delivery in diabetes treatment. Such a means is ultimately a prerequisite for automating administration of therapeutics and restoring glycemic control to forestall the devastating side effects of the disease. The possibility of a closed-loop automatic or semi-automatic glucose control device (an "artificial pancreas") has been the subject of significant interest, but the development of such a system is widely acknowledged to be limited by the lack of a suitably robust and reliable glucose sensor¹. GlySens is specifically designing its sensor to ultimately fill these needs, with particular emphasis being paid to the sensor's ability to detect hypoglycemia. Application of new ultrafast-acting insulins and other therapeutics could especially benefit.

Summary. GlySens believes that its combination of superior technology, user friendly features, and a long term design will provide major advances for people with diabetes. By serving key roles in upcoming sensor-driven systems, GlySens technology may help enable the introduction of dramatically important new therapeutic tools.

1. U.S Federal Diabetes Mellitus Interagency Coordinating Committee (DMICC, chaired by NIH-NIDDK). "DRAFT Advances and Emerging Opportunities in Diabetes Research: A Strategic Planning Report of the DMICC." National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 31 Mar. 2010.
   <http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/AboutNIDDK/ReportsAndStrategicPlanning/DiabetesPlan/PlanPosting.htm>.