Swiss pharma company Roche’s insulin pump will be the next to support automated insulin delivery thanks to a partnership with French AI company Diabeloop.

As part of the deal, users will be able to integrate Roche’s Accu-Chek Insights insulin pump with the Diabeloop monitoring system. This integration would result in a hybrid closed-loop system – a system designed to take the pressure off the patient to dose glucose, instead relying on an algorithm.

Typically, hybrid systems are made up of a CGM, an insulin pump and a glucose-detecting algorithm.

The Diabeloop system uses and algorithm to continuously monitor insulin levels and data. It can then stop insulin delivery, adjust the basal rate or deliver automatic correction bolus. In a hybrid system like this the algorithm is largely able to calculate and adjust insulin delivery, except at meals when patients have to take control over the dosing.

The hybrid system will first be rolled out in Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands in 2021. 

WHY IT MATTERS

The hybrid-closed loop system has been pitched by companies and innovators as a way to cut down on diabetes-management burden.

Over the last decade researchers have been exploring the use of closed-loop systems. In 2018, the Lancet published an investigative study that found the hybrid closed-loop demonstrated improved glucose control and lower risk of hypoglycemia compared to those managing their own glucose levels with an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor.

“Diabetes management is complex and personal, and achieving therapy goals is an ongoing challenge. The integration of the Accu-Chek Insight insulin pump into an AID system creates new opportunities to lower the burden of constant insulin dose adjustment for people with diabetes,” Marcel Gmuender, head of Roche Diabetes Care, said in a statement.

“By partnering with Diabeloop, we’ll help people with diabetes get more out of life by supporting them to automatically meet their personal insulin needs day and night. At Roche, we believe that the more personalized therapy is, the better the outcomes will be.“

THE LARGER TREND

Automated insulin dosing has become an increasingly popular topic in diabetes care. In 2020, Inuslet made deals with medtech Dexcom and Abbott in order to ingrate its Omnipod Horizon Automated Insulin Delivery System into the partner's continuous glucose monitoring devices.

Medtronic’s MiniMed 770G System landed FDA clearance in 2020 for its hybrid closed-loop system, which marked the first time an automated insulin-delivery system was greenlighted for young children with Type 1 diabetes.

Diabeloop has been working on its tech since it was founded in 2015. The Grenoble, France-based company landed €31m in a Series B funding in 2019 for its system.

Roche is a veteran in the diabetes space. As far back as 2015, the company landed FDA clearance for an Accu-Chek connected companion app. However, the company has struggled with Accu-Chek’s management apps. In 2019, the pharma giant announced its sixth device recall for the app from the FDA.