Innovative implantable bio-artificial pancreas for the treatment of diabetes patients

No More Frequent Glucose Monitoring & Insulin Injections

Beta-O2 is Proposing a Life-Changing Benefit to Diabetes Patients

Innovative Implantable Bio-Artificial Pancreas for the Treatment of Diabetes

For many years, researchers have made enormous efforts to cure diabetes by transplanting the whole pancreas or pancreatic Islets. The rationale has been that transplantation has the potential to biologically solve the problems of sensing glucose as well as secreting the right amount of insulin into the blood stream. However, transplantation of foreign cells provokes the immune system. As a result, immunosuppressive drugs are required to prevent a rejection by the body.

In order to avoid an immune reaction, scientists have cultured Islets within protected devices made of a permeable membrane. This membrane enables glucose, oxygen, and insulin to flow in and out of the blood stream, while simultaneously preventing the entry of immune system antibodies and T-cells, which would destroy the Islets. However, producing a sufficient and continuous oxygen supply remained an obstacle. Due to a lack of blood vessels within the device, and the high oxygen consumption by the Islets, oxygen remained scarce and rapid cell death became inevitable. Against this background, despite enormous efforts, all attempts to subcutaneously transplant Islets in humans had failed.

Beta-O₂ has devised an innovative technology to answer the formidable challenge of creating a continuous and adequate oxygen supply. The Islets are able to use this continuous oxygen supply to satisfy metabolic needs and enable them to sense glucose levels and produce appropriate amounts of insulin.

The company already achieved preclinical proof of concept by adjusting blood glucose of diabetic rats to normal glucose levels (normo-glycemia) after subcutaneous implantation of the device.