Phillips-Medisize, GlucoModicum Partner on Needle-Free CGM

Phillips-Medisize, a Molex company specialized in designing, engineering, and manufacturing pharmaceutical drug delivery, in vitro diagnostic, and medtech devices, recently announced it has partnered with GlucoModicum, a Finland-based medtech company, to design and commercialize a proprietary needle-free, wearable continuous glucose monitoring alternative that uses magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) technology.

"We wanted to create a solution that is needle free, accurate and more affordable so people would better monitor their glucose," said Jokke Mäki, managing director of GlucoModicum, in a press release. "Working with Phillips-Medisize, we applied compelling science to develop a world-class product that may help billions of people better manage their diabetes."

MHD technology is used to apply a small amount of energy directly to interstitial fluid — the body fluid between blood vessels and cells — to bring it to the surface of the skin for quick and easy glucose sample extraction. In November 2022, GlucoModicum published study results in Scientific Reports, detailing the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of MHD based on glucose tolerance tests conducted on five healthy subjects. The results supported previously published data that demonstrated the technology and biosensor solution was “13 times more effective than other needle-free approaches tested in extracting interstitial fluid from the skin,” according to the company. “Additional testing of the five healthy volunteers revealed that Talisman's biosensor is eight times more sensitive to glucose molecules than comparative biosensors on the market.”

The device, called Talisman, attaches to a patient’s arm, integrating the MHD technology, ultra-sensitive biosensors, and advanced algorithms that then connect to a smartphone app to collect data and report.

"We started with ideas, concepts and drawings," said Homer Fairley, business development manager for Phillips-Medisize, in the release. "The day we provided the finished sample product to GlucoModicum was a moment of celebration for both parties, as it really brought the possibilities to life. Now that there is a proven concept, we look forward to the opportunity to leverage Phillips-Medisize's high-volume manufacturing capabilities to produce hundreds of millions of units on time and in a cost-effective manner. That's a big benefit to this project."

The device is not FDA-approved and has not obtained the CE-mark.