Dubai – Masaader News
Smart meditech breakthroughs in the US$10.71 billion diabetes monitoring market, will transform life for 1.2 million people in the UAE who live with the disease and will be discussed at leading pharmaceutical event, CPhI Middle East & Africa, 3-5 September at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
The innovations span insulin delivery systems, glucometers and other areas specifically targeted to address the many complications that arise from the disease.
Research published by Frost & Sullivan, expects the diabetes monitoring market to reach values of $14.68 billion in 2022; a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from its current $10.71 billion. The strong growth forecast is largely attributable to high-tech and smart solutions that are used both inside and outside hospitals, clinics and clinicians’ offices.
Globally, 425 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes and more than 39 million of these people live in the Middle East and North Africa region; by 2045 this figure is expected to rise to 67 million. In the UAE, there were 1.2 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in 2017 the prevalence among Emiratis alone is now as high as 19%.
According to findings published at the end of 2017, this could be linked to genetics. Dr Abdul Razzak Al Madani, chairman of the Emirates Diabetes Federation, said Emiratis have a genetic predisposition to developing Type II Diabetes. In some cases, children as young as 13 have been diagnosed with the disease.
The country is currently engaged in a national strategy to reduce the prevalence of diabetes to 16.4% by 2021.
Cara Turner, CPhI Brand Director said, “Type two diabetes is the result of reduced insulin production or insulin resistance, where the body does not respond to insulin effectively. When this happens, people experience excessive thirst, hunger, fatigue, blurry visions and sores or cuts that don’t heal. These symptoms significantly reduce quality of life for those living with the disease.
“Additional complications are also common, which adds to the care requirements of each patient. Using AI to diagnose and self-manage, or Bluetooth and WiFi to transfer and share data between patient and doctor, gives us a preview of what will emerge from this exciting over the coming years. These developments will be truly life changing for diabetics,” added Tuner.
In February of this year, a Korean science and tech institute unveiled its plans for a smart contact lens that can measure the glucose in tears. Using built-in pliable, transparent electronics, the smart lens provides a pain free and easy-to-use monitoring system for diabetics, who often experience blurred vision.
In the US, the development of a smart insulin patch has paved the way for a responsive system that works with the patient’s body for on-the-go, non-invasive insulin delivery. One of hundreds of recent developments in the non-invasive space, the penny-sized patch has more than one hundred, eyelash-like microneedles, each containing small supplies of glucose-sensing enzymes and insulin
Particularly useful in cases of gestational diabetes, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to support remote, round-the-clock monitoring of overall health, or specific elements, as required.
In March, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Guardian Connect continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system. It is the first CGM to use AI for monitoring and achieved a 98.5% success rate in clinical trials.
Although pioneered around the world, over the coming years these breakthroughs, and others, will arrive in the GCC – a region where diabetes prevalence is one of the highest in the world, at 24.45%.
Professor Jaakko Tuomilehto, Professor Emeritus of Public Health and Chief Scientific Officer at Dasman Diabetes, University of Helsinki will discuss the issue further during CPhI Middle East & Africa, the first regional edition of the leading global pharmaceutical exhibition, taking place in the UAE capital at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 3-5 September 2018.
“The breakthroughs we have seen around the world, which make diabetes management, medicine delivery and glucose monitoring easier for diabetics, are nothing short of transformative,” said Turner
“As diabetes continues to affect the lives millions of people around the region, it is crucial that the most insightful academics, doctors and innovators from across the pharmaceutical industry have a place where they can share and discuss new and emerging solutions. In addition to providing a platform to meet and do business, CPhI Middle East & Africa will also offer high-level insights into the region’s most pressing health challenges,” added Turner.