المملكة: "KAUST" Developing a wearable patch to monitor drug levels in the body

Monitoring many microdose medications requires periodic blood tests, followed by laboratory tests. However, these tests only provide a reading of the drug level at a specific moment, and it may take some time for their results to appear. Therefore, the KAUST team designed this device to provide a more comprehensive and accurate picture of how drug concentration and movement within the body change over time.

Measuring Drug Concentration

The device uses a group of tiny microscopic needles to reach the interstitial fluid located directly under the skin. It also includes miniature electronics and Bluetooth communication technology, to measure the drug concentration continuously, and displays the data on the smartphone within a lightweight wearable platform.

The weight of the integrated device does not exceed 6.7 grams, and combines in one wearable system microneedle sensing technology, electrochemical biosensors, integrated electronics, wireless communication, and data display on the smartphone.

Monitoring Technologies

The researchers demonstrated the effectiveness of the technology. Using medication "Vancomycin"It is an antibiotic commonly used to treat serious infections. This drug requires maintaining its concentration within a relatively limited range to ensure its safety and effectiveness, which makes it a suitable model for testing techniques for continuous monitoring of drug levels.

The researchers tested the platform through laboratory experiments and pre-clinical studies, and it succeeded in tracking changes in the drug concentration within the body over a period of several hours. The results confirm the feasibility of monitoring drug levels continuously using a wearable device based on a sensor with limited surgical intervention.

Following treatments

Professor Khaled Nabil Salama, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering at KAUST, and the lead researcher in the study, said: "Wearable technologies have changed the way people track many aspects of their health, from physical activity to heart rate and sleep.

This research explores whether future wearable devices can also help us understand the behavior of drugs within the body. Although the technology is still in its early stages, it offers a new approach to monitoring treatments on an ongoing basis rather than relying on sporadic measurements."

Healthcare

The technology still needs further development and clinical validation before it can be used in healthcare facilities. However, the study shows the possibility of building wearable systems that provide continuous data on drug levels inside the body.

Although the platform was tested using an antibiotic, the researchers believe that the sensor technology could be adapted in the future to monitor the concentration of other drugs that require precise dosage adjustment, supporting the development of more personalized treatments according to the needs of each patient.

As the team continues to develop the technology, future research will focus on extending the duration of drug monitoring and tracking of their concentration, improving the device’s long-term stability and performance, and testing the platform. In a wider range of medical applications.
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