Metronom Health, founded in 2010, recently announced that they are poised to bring a new CGM to the market.

They are promising a product that is an improvement on existing technology, offering better accuracy and reliability, a longer and more convenient wear period, affordability, and a more comprehensive user interface.

We spoke with CEO Michel Lussier, Co-Founder and CSO Troy Bremer, and VP of Marketing Martin LaFontaine to learn more.

What it Is

The system consists of an automatically-inserted flexible sensor and disposable transmitter, with existing smart technology (e.g. iPhone, Smartwatch, etc.) serving as the receiver. The size of the sensor is comparable to existing products, and the transmitter has a considerably slim profile (about 4 mm thick). The sensor and transmitter can be worn for 14 days and glucose measurements are relayed to the user every five minutes.

Metromom aims to deliver an easy-to-use app powered by a smart device to serve as the data display. Features are expected to include iPhone and Smartwatch interfaces, data sharing, follower apps for iOS, and integration with smart pens.

The proprietary adhesive is expected to be an improvement on currently-available products. “The material is hydrophobic, meaning it does not get wet,” Dr. Troy Bremer explains. In addition to its superior water resistance, the adhesive is expected to have fewer issues with peeling, and the translucent material contributes to the discreet profile of the device.

How it Works

Much like existing products, the sensor contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase that reacts with glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide. Another enzyme called catalase breaks down the peroxide into oxygen and water, and the oxygen levels (proportional to the glucose concentration) are detected.

Metronom’s patented Smart Sensing Methodology differs from conventional detection methods in several ways.

First, the sensor contains a separate oxygen conduit, which allows for the detection of physiological oxygen concentrations independently of the glucose-induced signal. This is important because if the oxygen levels decrease (e.g. due to compression of the sensor), the system will not mistake this for a drop in the glucose concentration. “The glucose measurement is determined from the differential O 2 measurements”, Metronom describes.

Second, the sensor contains three progressive reaction chambers for detecting different glucose concentrations. The separate chambers allow for better performance at all ranges, and particularly in the hypoglycemic range.

Third, the hydrogel polymers used are highly-selective and only gas-permeable. This means that unlike with other sensors, drugs like acetaminophen (paracetamol) will not have an effect on sensor performance.

Finally, unlike many existing CGMs that rely on electrochemical sensors, the Metronom CGM utilizes opto-enzymatic detection. The oxygen-sensing polymer contains molecules that react with the oxygen to produce luminescence. The relative decay of the light over time is detected and the signal is converted to a glucose value. The optical detection circumvents many common problems that can be encountered in electrochemical signal detection and processing.

The sensor will be factory-calibrated, but can also be re-calibrated with blood glucose inputs from the user. The device will prompt the user to calibrate if necessary.

High-Throughput Manufacturing for Affordability

By outsourcing the production of components that are already being mass-produced by reliable companies, Metronom is hoping to reduce both the cost and time of manufacturing. The process is largely similar to producing test strips, whereby layers are assembled together in sheets for mass production.

The total cost for the end user is expected to be approximately $4-5 per day. This is on par with Abbott’s Freestyle Libre, though offers proactive alerts like the Dexcom and Medtronic alternatives.

Bringing the CGM to the Market

Studies to assess the safety and accuracy of the product have already been conducted in animals and in humans. Excitingly, the sensor’s performance was excellent. The first-in-human study results demonstrated that the sensor was within 20 mg/dL of gold-standard detected blood glucose values 92% of the time for blood glucose values between 50 mg/dL to 300 mg/dL. In addition, for blood glucose values below 80 mg/dL, the mean absolute difference (MAD) was 8 mg/dL.

Larger clinical studies are expected to begin shortly, after which the company will seek CE and FDA approval. It is expected that the product will become available in Europe in the next 15-18 months.

Summary

Overall, the Metronom CGM is expected to offer substantial improvements over currently-available CGM systems. The promise of improved accuracy, integrated user-friendly interface, and superior adhesive in a low-profile and affordable device sound very exciting.

The company also plans to integrate their technology with insulin pumps in the future. CEO Michel Lussier notes that improvements in sensor accuracy and performance are especially critical as integrated systems that rely on CGM readings to administer insulin or suggest dosing continue to develop.

Read more about continuous glucose monitor (CGM), Dexcom, freestyle, insulin, insulin pumps, iOS, iPhone, libre, Medtronic, new technology, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).