iGluco Tech, the University of Seville, and researchers from the Andalusian healthcare system have made Glucube possible, an advance in the monitoring of type 2 diabetes
Almost five million people have diabetes in Spain and a very high percentage are type 2. Knowing and controlling their glucose levels should be a habit in their daily routine. But many do not do it, not for lack of will, but because pricking their finger several times a day becomes too high a barrier.
To solve this problem, the Andalusian technology company Igluco Tech has presented today GLUCUBE, a non-invasive device that measures glucose without the need for blood extraction. It is the first device in the world of this category to obtain the CE marking as a medical device under the European Medical Device Regulation, which verifies its safety and clinical efficacy.
Its development and patent have been made possible thanks to ten years of work by the company's engineers in collaboration with researchers from the Biomedical Engineering Group of the University of Seville and the Virgen del Rocío and Virgen Macarena hospitals.
The presentation event was held at the Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS) and was attended by the Vice-Rector for Research of the University of Seville, Montserrat Arista, and the General Secretary of Humanization, Planning, and Emergencies of the Health Department, Silvia Pozo.
How it works
The operation of the device is very simple: the user inserts their finger, the device analyzes the interaction of infrared light with their blood, and the result appears in seconds on the mobile. No needle, no need to use a test strip, and no pain. It is already available in pharmacies through the distribution network of Cofares.
Glucube goes beyond offering a measurement: through a mobile application, it allows checking how glucose evolves throughout the day, identifying the impact of each meal or exercise, and sharing that data with the doctor or specialist remotely.
Its clinical validation, with reference glucometer, demonstrated that 99.01% of the results were within the clinical safety zones (Parkes graph). Glucube complements the use of the capillary glucometer, necessary for the initial calibration and for the confirmation of out-of-range values or the adjustment of treatment. Glucube provides the possibility of multiplying those measurements, and with them, the information on how glucose evolves throughout the day, without having to prick oneself each time.
As explained by the CEO and founder of iGluco Tech, Pedro Luis Navarro, "the problem is not that patients do not want to monitor themselves. It is that the current method makes it uncomfortable to do so every day. Glucube eliminates that friction."
For her part, the Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Seville has highlighted the importance of collaboration: "The project, which was born in the laboratories of the University of Seville, has been a true alliance between the university, public health, and technology company."