Medical Design Briefs - January 2025 - 13

Biosensors and Wearables
for Health Insights
I
n a recent Medical Design Briefs podcast, Rob Batchelor,
head of biosensors at Australia-based Nutromics, joined
us to talk about continuous monitoring and biosensors
for health insights. This article presents excerpts from
that podcast.
Aptamers, often described as the DNA equivalent of antibodies,
are central to the innovative technologies being developed
by several startups he has worked with. These companies focus
on using aptamers for electrochemical-based sensing within
the body, which ultimately led him to Nutromics. Founded seven
years ago, Nutromics is now a team of approximately 50 people,
operating in Melbourne, Australia, and San Diego, CA.
Nutromics aims to tackle a fundamental challenge in medicine:
the lack of timely information about molecular activities
within the human body. Many clinical decisions hinge on understanding
biomarkers, metabolites, and drug dynamics, yet
current methods often rely on outdated technologies, such as
blood draws or urine tests, which can be painful, time-consuming,
and involve delays of 45 minutes or more. To solve this,
Nutromics is developing a revolutionary coin-sized patch,
about the size of a U.S. half-dollar, designed to sit on a patient's
arm. Using painless, bloodless microneedles, the patch continuously
monitors molecular activity within the interstitial fluid
of the skin. This real-time data is wirelessly transmitted to provide
critical insights, enabling physicians to make informed,
timely decisions - such as adjusting drug dosages or monitoring
metabolite levels.
Nutromics conducted clinical trials in collaboration with
Monash University in Melbourne to test its prototype device,
specifically designed to monitor vancomycin levels. Vancomycin
is a powerful antibiotic used to treat life-threatening conditions
like sepsis, a severe bacterial infection of the bloodstream.
Sepsis requires immediate and effective treatment, and vancomycin
plays a critical role in combating the infection. However,
the challenge lies in its narrow therapeutic range, says Batchelor.
If the drug concentration falls below the required threshold,
it fails to treat the infection effectively. Conversely, if the
concentration exceeds the safe limit, it can lead to an overdose,
causing acute kidney injury (AKI). Often described as a " heart
attack for the kidneys, " AKI is a severe condition that can result
in long-term kidney damage or even death.
This critical challenge - managing vancomycin's delicate balance
- is precisely the problem Nutromics' device aims to solve.
By providing real-time monitoring of vancomycin levels, the sensor
is designed to enable precise dosing, improving patient outcomes
and minimizing the risk of severe complications.
Medical Design Briefs, January 2025
www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
13
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http://www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs - January 2025

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