The University of Cambridge has announced the launch of the CamAPS FX app, a licensed, downloadable artificial pancreas app designed for people with type 1 diabetes.
The app is based on research by Professor Roman Hovorka for more than 10 years at the university and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
According to the university, the CamAPS FX app functions with an insulin pump and a glucose monitor to deliver insulin automatically through a complex algorithm to people living with the disorder.
The University of Cambridge said that currently, type 1 diabetes people depend on a routine of finger-prick blood tests and insulin injections or infusions just for their survival as their pancreas can no longer produce insulin on its own.
The artificial pancreas app is set to be available on the NHS in the future and is expected to take over most of the management of type 1 diabetes. As per the university, this is especially important at night, when many people having the disorder face potentially dangerous low blood glucose levels.
The CamAPS FX app also has the capability of uploading the blood glucose measurements of the users to online platform Diasend, thereby enabling their diabetes team to offer more customised care.
Professor Hovorka said: “This is a major stepping stone towards providing widely available, clinically proven, and user-friendly artificial pancreas technology to people with type 1 diabetes.
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“Our aim is to alleviate the ever-present burden of type 1 diabetes and improve health outcomes. This is the outcome of hard work, with more to come. We are indebted to all who are helping us on this journey.”
The CamAPS FX app is currently available for UK users, who can download it onto their Android phones by visiting the Amazon Appstore. The artificial pancreas app is available on a subscription basis at a starting price of £70 per month.
The app’s research was funded by JDRF, a type 1 diabetes charity, Diabetes UK, the National Institute for Health Research, the National Institutes of Health, and others.
JDRF UK chief executive Karen Addington said: “JDRF is proud to have supported Professor Hovorka’s artificial pancreas research from the beginning, nearly 15 years ago. This app is a major innovation and a significant milestone on the road to a fully automated and interoperable artificial pancreas.
“There’s still more work to do, but this is an exciting step.”
