Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Closing the Loop on the Insulin Pump
The marriage of the insulin pump and the new continuous glucose sensor could result in a true artificial pancreas in the not-too-distant future.

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Closing the loop

The advancements in diabetes management in the past 25 years have been phenomenal. After all, it was only in 1983 that Medtronic Diabetes launched its first insulin pump.

Now, with the Paradigm Veo⁴, people with diabetes have a pump that monitors their glucose levels 24/7, alerts them when they need to take action and even stops insulin delivery automatically when they’re at risk from hypoglycaemia.

At Medtronic, we remain 100% committed to the idea of creating an artificial pancreas – or a “closed-loop system” – which monitors glucose levels 24/7 and automatically delivers exactly the right amount of insulin. Closing the loop is in fact our number one priority and our scientists are busy doing everything in their power to achieve this.

With the Paradigm Veo⁵ and its automatic Low Glucose Suspend⁶ mechanism, we are halfway there. All we need now is a mathematical algorithm that will regulate insulin delivery without any user intervention whatsoever.

When complete, we’re confident that the closed-loop system will transform the lives of millions of diabetics worldwide.

Any statements made about the company's anticipated regulatory approvals are forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties.