Medgadget

Delivery Method for Iomai's Transcutaneous Vaccine

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:03 -0800

We've previously covered Iomai Corp's (now part of Intercell) transcutaneous vaccination technology, with the idea being that if you're able to vaccinate patients through their skin, you can take advantage of the high density of Langerhans cells in the epidermis to activate an amplified immune response. Also, since transcutaneous vaccination does not involve systemic exposure, you're able to use more potent immune stimulants. These factors, in addition to it being needle-less, make transcutaneous vaccination an appealing option because you need less vaccine for an equal immune response. Additionally, having the vaccine in this dry, patch form also allows it to last much longer without refrigeration (possibly up to six months).

Application of the vaccine, however, first requires you to scrape off some of the keratinized epithelium to gain access to the Langerhans cells. This abrasion needs to be consistent, painless, and easy enough that it could be self-administered. At TEDMED, we've heard from IDEO's CEO Tim Brown, whose design firm was hired to develop the application technique for the transcutaneous vaccine patches. IDEO came up with a band aid looking device with a bulls eye and an attached tab. Pressing at the center and pulling the tab draws an abrasive strip across the skin, as well as leaves an ink mark to show where the vaccine patch should be placed. The application device and patch is also made using only standard processes and materials so they'd be easily manufactured in developing countries.

The administration device and patch are currently in phase two clinical trials for pandemic influenza.

Product page @ IDEO...

Flasback:Immunity That's More Than Skin Deep...

Needle Free Insulin Delivery from PICOSULIN

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:41:52 -0800

Amy Tenderich from DiabetesMine spoke with Thierry Navarro, co-founder of PICOSULIN, a Geneva, Switzerland company developing a patch and an insulin pump with an unusually open R&D process.

A snippet:

"We think differently from the traditional way of keeping R&D secret. We have perfected our technology, and we're disclosing the benefits. Now we want to try to get feedback from all the over world. We're using a website survey to capture input from Europe, Asia and the US, " Thierry says.

Here's more about the technology from the product page:

The simplicity of the system is based on the use of a plastic micro pump which is connected to an ultra precise mechanical system (patent pending) capable of delivering a bolus of 25nl (0.0025U) that is 20 times more precise than any of the existing competing patches on the market which deliver 500nl (0.05U).

What’s more, the micro pump uses a volumetric pump mechanism capable of aspirating insulin directly from any type or brand of PenFill cartridge.

Performance aside, it has the major advantages of its very small size and modular design: the “PicoPatch” is a wearable patch only 0.59 inches (15 mm) thick, loaded with a standard PenFill cartridge containing 3ml of insulin.

Read the interview with more details at DiabetesMine...

Link: PICOSULIN...

NovoTwist Needle Wins Prize for Design

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:12:46 -0800

Novo Nordisk (Bagsværd, Denmark) just won the coveted Good Design Award (aka, G-Mark Award) from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization for the NovoTwist needle. Currently in use in company's insulin delivery device FlexPen®, this simple twist on and off needle has been constructed to be totally intuitive and not to require much finger strength.

Nearly 3,000 entries were narrowed down by the judging panel and NovoTwist™ was selected for an award in the ‘Society – Medical Equipment’ section. Previous winners of the Good Design Award™ include Apple, Toshiba, Toyota and Nintendo.

The Good Design Award™ highlights the unique design features of NovoTwist™. The judges specifically commented that “Conventional screw thread needles can be difficult to attach and detach, especially for the elderly, as limited manual dexterity and hand strength make the circular motion of screw attachment/detachment challenging. NovoTwist™ has solved this problem with a simple functional design with a push-and-twist needle attachment/detachment system”.

Press release: Novo Nordisk wins design award for NovoTwist™ needle...

Product page: NovoTwist...

GE's New Ultra Small Ultrasound May Become as Ubiquitous as Stethoscope

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:50:51 -0800

Yesterday at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, GE showed off their new handheld ultrasound device. The Vscan looks like a cross between an iPod and a cell phone, making it possibly the world's smallest ultrasound. Later today we'll be attending GE's healthymagination technology showcase in New York where further details and specs will hopefully become available.

For critical care clinicians, Vscan can offer an immediate look beyond patient vital signs with the potential to identify critical issues, like fluid around the heart, which could be a sign of congestive heart failure. And for cardiologists, Vscan provides a dependable visual evaluation of how well the heart is pumping at a glance, so they can treat patients more efficiently.

Novel Product Design Aims to Address Common Autism Behavior

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:43:02 -0800

Some children with autism tend to perform compulsive rituals, and these can distract kids from the rest of the world. Jesse Resnick, a recent graduate of the product design program at Parsons the New School for Design, proposes a new toy-like device to grab kids' attention and limit compulsive behavior to a short time. The Repeat wrist worn device has flashing rubber knobs that blink in preprogrammed patterns, while the child follows along by using fingers to pinch them. According to the product page, Repeat is "an early-intervention tool for autistic children designed to replace repetitive behaviours (arm flapping, head banging, etc.) with a less distracting, less harmful alternative." It's not clear whether the benefit will be clinically valuable, but it does seem like a novel idea.

Product design page: REPEAT...

(hat tip: Yanko Design)

Glucogrip for Automatic Blood Glucose Metering

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:03 -0800

Giulio Sbarigia, an Italian product developer, suggests this design for a portable glucometer.

Product link: glucogrip...

Wheeze Detector for Quantifying Asthma, Allergy, Emphysema Symptoms

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:10:29 -0800

Israel's business newspaper Globes is reporting that KarmelSonix Ltd, a company consisting of Israel's KarmelSonix and Australia's Pulmosonix, received FDA approval for the Wheezometer point-of-care wheeze detector. The device records thirty seconds of breathing while applied to the neck area and analyzes and quantifies the wheezing in the audio.

The WheezoMeter™ is calibrated and validated as determined by consensus of a panel of experts who evaluated and scored many recordings for presence of wheeze.

The WheezoMeter™ uses a cascade of 6 proprietary technologies to "defend" the signals against false detection of ambient noises as wheeze.

Obtain a “spot check” measurement of present wheeze activity, any time, any place, as often as needed without any patient effort.

Measure WheezeRATE™ before and after administration of a bronchodilator (“pre-post” test).

Communicate status of homebound or remote patient to physician or healthcare professional.

System Components:

WheezoMeter™ with embedded Black Fin® processor. Self-contained cushioned built-in silicone-coated PPG

PPG Sensor with broad spectrum frequency response, >60 dB dynamic range and superior ambient noise rejection

Allows scrolling of the last 10 measurements for review

2 AA batteries (not included)

Infant sensor holder for babies and toddlers (optional)

More from Globes: FDA approves KarmelSonix's Wheezometer

Product page: Wheezometer

Wheezometer brochure...

Tiny Portable Ultrasound from SonoSite Gets US OK

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:56:09 -0800

SonoSite (Bothell, Washington) just announced that the company received FDA approval to market the firm's tiny NanoMaxx ultrasound system throughout the United States. Weighing in at only 6 pounds (2.7 kilo) and with a battery life of 2 operational hours, the system is truly portable for busy clinics, ambulances, emergency rooms, and elsewhere that ultrasound is needed.

The new ultra portable and one button design of the NanoMaxx system makes high quality ultrasound available to a much broader range of clinicians. The system incorporates SonoSite’s advanced proprietary imaging algorithms, including SonoMB™ and SonoAdapt™ to deliver superior image quality in a lightweight, rugged form factor.

With a touch screen that responds easily to the tap of a finger, and one button optimization, clinicians can readily acquire high resolution images to increase clinical productivity at the point-of-care. A system boot-up time of less than 20 seconds and long battery life further enhance workflow when using the NanoMaxx system.

At introduction, the NanoMaxx tool is available with a complement of five transducers to support a wide range of examinations and procedures including thoracic assessment for pathology, vascular access, needle aspirations and injections, as well as abdominal, cardiac, nerve, OB/Gyn, musculoskeletal, small parts and vascular scanning.

For convenience and flexibility, the system can be wall mounted, placed on an exam table with kickstand attached, or used from a highly maneuverable stand. Physicians can easily carry the NanoMaxx tool from room-to-room, to a satellite office, to the operating room or to a field site for immediate use.

The NanoMaxx system’s highly integrated architecture and ruggedized design, including the industry’s first elastomeric bumper for extra durability, plus magnesium outer shell, allows it to be used in the most demanding and austere environments. Proving its reliability, the NanoMaxx system and its transducers successfully passed SonoSite’s standard three foot durability drop test.

In addition, to further reduce the risk of infection, the NanoMaxx system’s fluid-resistant user interface makes the system easy to clean and disinfect, helping to address the growing concern over infection control in the medical community.

Press release: SonoSite Announces FDA Clearance for Its New Nanomaxx Ultrasound Tool

Product page: NanoMaxx

Flashback: NanoMaxx Tiny 6 Lb. Ultrasound System Unveiled

Bloodbot, The Bright Future of Phlebotomy?

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:40:57 -0800

Here is a project from the folks at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London, and its Mechatronics in Medicine Laboratory, who are bent on developing an "active robot designed to take blood samples from the ante-cubital fossa..."

The Bloodbot identifies the location of a suitable vein by pressing a probe against the surface tissue of the ante-cubital fossa and measuring the force on the probe. The difference in the characteristics of the tissue from its surroundings, in response to the applied force, indicates the presence of a vein.
Once a suitable vein has been found, it inserts a needle under force control. When the needle penetrates the vein (identified by its force/position profile), the control system prevents further insertion, thus avoiding overshooting the vein.

We think they need to combine this robot with VeinViewer for a more accurate, and probably spookier, experience.

The Bloodbot Project...

Flashbacks: VeinViewer Shipped!; First Hospital To Use The VeinViewer ; Video of VeinViewer; VeinViewer Off to Europe; Vein Contrast Enhancer

(hat tip: DVICE)

Simple Umbilical Cord Cutting Tool to Overcome Infection in Third World

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:44:20 -0800

A good deal of child birth in poor regions takes place without clinician assistance or properly sanitized tools. Researchers at Tulane University have developed a cheap umbilical cord cutting tool aimed at the developing world which may help prevent millions of neonatal infections. The SafeSnip can cut, seal, and sanitize the cord in one step and should cost less than $1 to manufacture.

"You take the umbilical cord in one hand and just clamp down on it," says William Kethman, who applied for the patent with fellow 2008 School of Science and Engineering graduates Bryan Molter, Stephanie Roberts and Mark Young, as well as David Rice, associate professor of biomedical engineering.
After the cord is severed, SafeSnip breaks in two, leaving one half of the device firmly clamped onto the baby's umbilical cord to seal the wound while the other is discarded.

Press release: Students' Invention Aids Safe Childbirth...