Frequently Asked Questions

The Saliva Glucose Biosensor is being developed as a pain-free, non-invasive alternative to finger-prick blood glucose testing. 

The biosensor itself is a small, disposable strip that a person can use to test glucose levels in saliva.

The organic strip emits an electronic signal to a smart device, which then displays the individual’s glucose reading.

Our innovative technology could free people living with diabetes from having to use painful and invasive blood monitoring devices to manage their condition, giving them a better quality of life.

No, the Saliva Glucose Biosensor is non-invasive, so no needles are involved.

Glucose exists in saliva in minute quantities. The biosensor has been scientifically proven to detect glucose at concentrations of 100 times lower than current blood measuring devices and hence has the ability to accurately detect glucose in saliva.

When the Saliva Glucose Biosensor interacts with glucose in saliva, an electrochemical reaction is initiated in the biosensor strip, which produces an electrical signal directly related to the amount of glucose present in the saliva. This measurement is then converted into a saliva glucose reading and displayed on a digital app.

The Saliva Glucose Biosensor was invented by scientists at the Centre for Organic Electronics at The University of Newcastle, Australia.

For more information on the Centre click here.

Yes. The Saliva Glucose Biosensor has been the subject of the following publications:

•  ‘Detection of saliva-range glucose concentrations using organic thin-film transistors’, D. Elkington, W. J. Belcher, P. C. Dastoor, and X. J. Zhou, Applied Physics Letters 105,043303 (2014)

• ‘Printable organic thin film transistors for glucose detection incorporating inkjet-printing of the enzyme recognition elements’, D. Elkington, W. J. Belcher, P. C. Dastoor, and X. J. Zhou, Applied Physics Letters 106, 266301 (2015)

The biosensor has also been granted three patents: US patent 9766199, US patent 10978653, and China patent ZL201380022888.

Yes. The Saliva Glucose Biosensor technology is patent protected and clearly described in the following three granted patents: US patents 9766199, 10978653 and China patent ZL201380022888.

The Saliva Glucose Biosensor is non-invasive, meaning that no needles are involved.

Blood glucose monitoring conventionally involves finger pricking multiple times a day. For a person with diabetes, the traditional daily monitoring process is not only painful but can be exhausting, disruptive, frustrating, frightening and consuming, which may lead to poor adherence to daily testing requirements and increases diabetes related complications.

The Saliva Glucose Biosensor could free people living with diabetes from having to use painful and invasive blood monitoring devices to manage their condition, giving them a better quality of life.

People living with diabetes test their glucose levels by pricking their fingers multiple times daily. This is the only approved method by regulatory agencies to measure glucose in order to adjust patient treatment. CGM is a different method which is also invasive, and it is not licensed by regulatory agencies for this purpose.

Because of this, CGM devices are not directly comparable to the Saliva Glucose Biosensor.

CGM requires the insertion of a glucose sensor into the subcutaneous tissue layer of skin which detects glucose in the interstitial fluid. The devices are generally worn for 10-14 days and may require calibration. Subcutaneous glucose levels also have a time lag compared to blood glucose measurements, and measurements may not always match blood glucose.

In contrast to CGM, the Saliva Glucose Biosensor is pain-free, convenient and non-invasive. It is intended to replace finger-prick blood testing, enabling patients to adjust their treatment according to their glucose readings. Additionally, through the digital app software, patients can store and send results to carers, receive dietary advice in real-time to improve their quality of life.

The biosensor technology has the potential to test for up to 130 indications. By substituting the detection element, depending on the analyte to be detected, the biosensor has the potential to be modified to monitor a wide range of saliva-based diagnostic analytes, ranging from glucose to immunological conditions and communicable diseases. 

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Yes. The Saliva Glucose Biosensor is being developed for people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and for all glucose measuring / monitoring.

The Saliva Glucose Biosensor is being developed and is not a registered medical device in any jurisdiction. Prototypes of the biosensor are currently being manufactured in Australia using modified reel-to-reel printing technology. This technology allows manufacturing to scale at an affordable price.

The Saliva Glucose Biosensor is currently at advanced stages of development.

Intelligent Bio Solutions owns the exclusive license to introduce and launch the Biosensor Platform, including its first diagnostic test the Saliva Glucose Biosensor, in the following countries within the Asia Pacific region: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor L’Este, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam.

For further enquiries, submit a query here.

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