BD, JDRF partner to accelerate development of glucose-sensing technology for T1D

JDRF and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX) today announced an extension of their existing collaboration focused on Type 1 diabetes (T1D) to accelerate the development of BD's proprietary glucose-sensing technology which has shown promise in providing very accurate and reliable continuous glucose information. 

JDRF and The Helmsley Charitable Trust (HCT) joined forces to support novel technologies that will be essential for developing fully automated artificial pancreas systems with advanced monitoring capabilities. The research expansion is part of the JDRF-HCT Sensor Initiative designed to accelerate the development of advanced sensors that improve the detection of changing glucose levels. Today's continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices have significantly improved glucose control in people with T1D. Next-generation sensors are expected to provide improved accuracy and reliability, with a goal of striving for more automated artificial pancreas systems.

T1D is an autoimmune disease in which the body's pancreas stops producing enough insulin, a hormone needed to turn food into energy. People with T1D must test their blood glucose levels either by sticking their fingers for blood or with the aid of a CGM, calculating the insulin needed, and administering accurate insulin doses via injections or an insulin pump multiple times throughout the day.  

"Providing more accurate glucose monitoring and improving insulin delivery are vital to helping people manage their diabetes," said Linda Tharby, President, BD Medical - Diabetes Care. "Combined with our existing JDRF collaboration to develop microneedle insulin infusion, this latest collaboration with JDRF and The Helmsley Charitable Trust demonstrates the parties' commitment to further improving the patient experience and enabling the artificial pancreas."

"BD understands and believes in JDRF's commitment to and excitement about the prospects of developing better technologies in a relatively short timeframe to benefit people with diabetes," said Jeffrey Brewer, President and Chief Executive Officer of JDRF. "BD is well positioned to address the patient need given its heritage in injection- and infusion-based drug delivery. We look forward to working with BD on this initiative."

"While we continue to search for the elusive cure, we must give people with T1D better tools to ease the burden of managing their disease, and this project is a step forward toward that goal," said David Panzirer, Trustee, The Helmsley Charitable Trust. 

CGM devices provide both a real-time snapshot of the glucose level of a person with diabetes, as well as trend information on whether glucose is moving upward or downward, and at what speed. The devices also provide warnings when the glucose is becoming too high or too low. JDRF's landmark CGM trials have shown that using CGMs can significantly improve diabetes control and decrease the frequency of high and low blood glucose when used regularly. In the future, the development of artificial pancreas systems that maintain normal glucose levels by automating insulin delivery will require advanced sensors with increased accuracy and error detection capabilities.