New EIT Health KIC Innovation Project CLOSE develops and deploys an integrated package centred on closed loop metabolic control for severely ill patients with Type 2 Diabetes

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• Launch of large-scale research initiative CLOSE to accelerate the development of a novel closed loop metabolic control system for severely ill patients with Type 2 Diabetes
• CLOSE unites internationally renowned experts from 9 academic institutions and industry in public-private partnership
• The EIT Health, a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), could invest into this activity over the coming four years
• Goal: Develop and bring to the market a closed system for AP to monitor and control patients with Type 2 diabetes

In Europe 60 million people suffer from diabetes with a trend projected towards 70 million by 2030. Diabetes greatly increases susceptibility to further health degeneration due in part to development of multiple comorbid conditions such as mental illness and neurodegenerative conditions, as well as cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory disorders and cancer. These patients then depend on intensive nursing homecare and are highly susceptible for functional worsening, exacerbation of comorbidities and hospitalization. Accordingly, diabetes poses a huge socioeconomic challenge to European societies.

CLOSE serves to innovate homecare for severely ill, insulin treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by offering an integrated product and service package (AP+). Blood glucose levels will be controlled by an artificial pancreas (AP) that will be installed at the patients' home, operated through trained caregivers, and remote controlled (telehealth). CLOSE will provide a French test scenario, which paves the roads between prescribers, patients and payers and demonstrates effective, safe and cost-efficient operation of AP+. CLOSE plans to then tailor AP+ to other homecare systems and reimbursement policies for deployment across Europe.

CLOSE has four major ambitions:

1. improve homecare for patients,
2. alleviate strain on supporting relatives,
3. prevent further health complications, and
4. reduce health care costs.

Improved glycemic control and AP feasibility has been demonstrated for people with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) further substantiating confidence in this initiative.

As management partner Eurice will support the CLOSE consortium in all aspects related to project and IP management and communications.

CLOSE assembles a multi-national team of leading experts from 9 partnering academic institutions and private partners from the health care industry.

Members of the CLOSE Consortium

Belgium

* Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Prof. Chantal Mathieu)

France

Air Liquide Santé International (Véronique Crône) Sanofi-Aventis France (Michael Schabbach, Anton Petkov, Dr Frank Flacke) * CellNovo Group (Dr Sophie Baratte & Dr Julian Shapley)

Germany

Profil Institut für Stoffwechselforschung GmbH (Prof. Dr Freimut Schliess, Prof. Lutz Heinemann) Institute for Applied Quality Improvement and Research in Health Care GmbH (Prof. Joachim Szecsenyi, Björn Borge, Constance Stegbauer) * European Research and Project Office GmbH (Jakob Haardt)

Poland

* Medical University of Lodz, (Dr Beata Mianowska)

Spain

* IESE Business School, Universidad de Navarra (Prof. Magda Rosenmöller, Esther Arèvalo, George Binkley)