Nemaura Medical, based in Loughborough, UK, received European regulatory (CE) approval, and following improvements to the user interface and reduction in size of the device, plans to introduce its SugarBEAT continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system to the European market in early 2017. SugarBEAT includes a daily disposable skin patch and an adhesive sensor that sticks over it, and a smartphone running the SugarBEAT app or showing data on the SugarBEAT standalone reader.
The patch unobtrusively and painlessly sticks to the skin, either on the arm or abdomen. It does require an old-fashioned finger prick test once a day to calibrate it once it’s stuck on. The electronic sensor powers the sensing every five minutes, gathering readings and passing them on to the smartphone or SugarBEAT reader. From there the results can be shared with one’s doctor, family members, or carers.
Developed for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics, SugarBEAT is designed to be a non-invasive, affordable glucose monitoring system. Combining patented technology with a small electronic device, SugarBEAT provides real-time monitoring for better diabetes health management.
Approximately 1mm thick, and designed to conform to the body for enhanced patient comfort and compliance, the SugarBEAT patch offers a convenient way to track blood sugar levels throughout the day.
The aim is to allow people with diabetes to better manage their condition through a greater understanding of lifestyle factors that affect their blood glucose levels. It will be possible to set alarms for high and low blood glucose levels and help prevent or delay long-term medical complications. Replacing traditional invasive methods of diagnosis and healthcare observation procedures, the proprietary technology platform, known as BEAT, will allow for close monitoring of chronic diseases and health conditions, remotely.
Nemaura Medical expects to release the system in early 2017 in Europe. Speaking on their behalf, Bashir Timol, Director of Business Strategy for Nemaura Medical, says, “We are aiming to launch SugarBEAT with our European joint venture partner in Q1 2017. We are entering the market at a more affordable price than existing CGM products. The actual costings are not final yet. Users will be likely to buy packs of multiple patches at a time, with each patch lasting 24 hours. SugarBEAT is easy to wear, flexible and needle-free, which is a plus-point against invasive needle like sensors which have to be inserted into the skin for weeks at a time. SugarBEAT requires an initial calibration and ‘warms up’ in only 30 minutes then it’s good to go. If a patch should fail, or somehow come off, it can be reapplied to the skin or at worse a single patch is lost. By being daily disposable the skin irritation caused by having a sensor stuck to your skin for weeks at a time is also greatly reduced. ”
What’s exciting about SugarBEAT, beyond its non-invasive nature, is the potentially affordable entry level and the flexibility of how the sensor is worn as well as the fact that it’s UK made, it will launch in the UK and is directed initially at the diabetes market. We’ll keep our eyes on this one.
This news item first appeared in Desang Diabetes Magazine, our free-to-receive digital journal. We cover diabetes news, diabetes management equipment (diabetes kit) and news about food suitable for a diabetic diet. Go to the top of this page to sign up – we just need your email address.
