Sam Brusco, Associate Editor03.30.23
Bigfoot Biomedical has acquired a reinforcement learning algorithm for titration of insulin settings developed at McGill University.
The algorithm was engineered to observe how well patients with diabetes requiring insulin respond to a particular insulin dose, and offer a recommended adjustment based on the body’s response. It was built to become smarter over time and support healthcare professionals by helping patients determine how much insulin to take, and when.
An in-silico, retrospective study at McGill applied the university’s algorithm to Bigfoot Unity user data from 20 patients to evaluate its ability to predict appropriate insulin dosing adjustments. Study results showed the algorithm accurately predicted how the patient’s healthcare professional adjusted their insulin dose.
“The retrospective study performed by the McGill University team demonstrates strong promise for the algorithm’s ability to help further simplify diabetes management,” Jeffrey Brewer, CEO of Bigfoot Biomedical told the press. “We look forward to the responsibility of taking the necessary next steps to bring their innovation to the diabetes community, including research and development to incorporate the algorithm into the Bigfoot Unity platform and collaborating with the FDA on the appropriate regulatory pathway.”
“As a scientist, there’s no greater reward than seeing your innovations have a concrete, meaningful impact on society,” added Ahmad Haider, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Medicine at McGill University. “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to see Bigfoot Biomedical, with its strong commitment to simplifying diabetes management, bring our technology to people with insulin-requiring diabetes, a condition that impacts an estimated 72 million people worldwide.”
Bigfoot is getting ready to offer its Bigfoot Unity diabetes management system through the pharmacy channel later this year.
The algorithm was engineered to observe how well patients with diabetes requiring insulin respond to a particular insulin dose, and offer a recommended adjustment based on the body’s response. It was built to become smarter over time and support healthcare professionals by helping patients determine how much insulin to take, and when.
An in-silico, retrospective study at McGill applied the university’s algorithm to Bigfoot Unity user data from 20 patients to evaluate its ability to predict appropriate insulin dosing adjustments. Study results showed the algorithm accurately predicted how the patient’s healthcare professional adjusted their insulin dose.
“The retrospective study performed by the McGill University team demonstrates strong promise for the algorithm’s ability to help further simplify diabetes management,” Jeffrey Brewer, CEO of Bigfoot Biomedical told the press. “We look forward to the responsibility of taking the necessary next steps to bring their innovation to the diabetes community, including research and development to incorporate the algorithm into the Bigfoot Unity platform and collaborating with the FDA on the appropriate regulatory pathway.”
“As a scientist, there’s no greater reward than seeing your innovations have a concrete, meaningful impact on society,” added Ahmad Haider, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Medicine at McGill University. “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to see Bigfoot Biomedical, with its strong commitment to simplifying diabetes management, bring our technology to people with insulin-requiring diabetes, a condition that impacts an estimated 72 million people worldwide.”
Bigfoot is getting ready to offer its Bigfoot Unity diabetes management system through the pharmacy channel later this year.