Lifecare has received approval of public funding schemes from the Research Council of Norway and the EU.
EU Research and Innovation Programme Horizon 2020 – FORGETDIABETES
In collaboration with six academic and commercial partners in Italy, France and Germany, Lifecare established the “FORGETDIABETES” project in 2020. The aim is to develop an artificial and fully automated pancreas for implantation in the human abdominal cavity. The artificial pancreas should supply the user with the right amount of insulin based on continuous reading of blood sugar levels with Lifecare’s sensor technology.
The project has received a total of EUR 3.9 million, just over NOK 43 million, in support of a FET Proactive call for projects under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, of which Lifecare receives approximately EUR 570,000, close to NOK 6.3 million. The development, implementation and testing of the technology is estimated at around 4.5 year.
The funding from Horizon 2020 is an international recognition of the innovative work Lifecare represents.
The Norwegian Catapult Centre
The Norwegian Catapult Centre awarded two grants to Lifecare in connection with a project relating to Sencell-sensor. July 2022 we received financial support for our research on encapsulation material and processing alternatives. 75 percent of the project was covered. In the clinical study we used an unprotected sensor, in the meaning that the sensor was not meant to last for a longer period of time. In Q2 2022 Lifecare initiated a project to ensure protective encapsulation to ensue longer functional time for the sensor.
Lifecare has linked up with Norner in Porsgrunn, a leading industrial polymer Research & Development center for the polymer and plastics industry with over 40 years of experience. Norner assisted Lifecare with identifying potential medical grade polymer materials and potential processes for encapsulation of the osmotic sensor cell for monitoring glucose level. A pre-study was carried out on potential alternative materials/processes based on the factors such as temperature, chemical resistance and design. Norner finally made recommendations on potential material, processing/conversion and testing. This provided a good basis for further testing at Lifecare’s laboratory, but also for the second step at the Norwegian Catapult Centre.
In December of 2022 The Norwegian Catapult Centre awarded another grant to Lifecare for development of encapsulation membrane. In this second stage Lifecare has continued its collaboration with Norner. This new phase of the study will focus on assesment of material selection and suppliers against regulations and requirements for the product/medical use and assessment of the materials’ properties itself. The ongoing study will also entail the selection of candidates for membranes and benchmarking study on two or three grades for selected polymer family. Based on material selection we will find the best and most optimal processing techniques.
Research Council of Norway
In 2020, the Research Council of Norway approved the development of Sencell for continuous in vivo measurement of blood glucose as a project under “SkatteFUNN” in the period 2020-2022. The Reseach Council of Norway has also approved the development of nanotechnology sensors for continuous in vivo measurement of lactate levels under the same scheme. SkatteFUNN entail the company to claim a tax deduction for relevant and documentable costs related to research and development activities in approved projects.