Interview Questions for Danaë Delbeke, Indigo's CEO

In the realm of diabetes management, a Belgian company named Indigo is making waves with its groundbreaking sensor technology. Indigo, founded by Danaë Delbeke, develops medical solutions for diabetes using nanophotonics, a technology that combines the expertise of the University of Ghent and Belgian research lab Imec.

The sensor, which is unique in its ability to be inserted subcutaneously and wirelessly send data to a user's mobile device, is designed to make diabetes less visible and help patients manage their condition more easily. It measures not only blood sugar levels but also other metabolites such as ketones, body temperature, and lactate levels, potentially allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of a patient's health status.

This sensor could potentially be linked to an insulin pump to automate treatment, a significant advancement in diabetes care. The aim of Indigo's product is to improve the monitoring and treatment of diabetes, alleviate the psychological impact of continuous finger-pricking, and reduce the stigma of visible sensors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the potential of medical technologies and accelerated their development and use. The sensor's ability to measure multiple metabolites could help patients and healthcare providers respond better to the risks associated with their conditions.

Indigo is focusing on developing their technology for people with diabetes, but plans to address other conditions in the future. Easing the development of digital applications by avoiding a heavy regulatory burden and implementing reimbursement schemes for apps would be beneficial, according to Danaë Delbeke. She also emphasises the need for legislation and regulatory policies that enforce standards for interoperability to fast-forward the process of ensuring applications become more widespread and get to the level of importance they deserve.

The use of digital health products could lead to the greater personalization of therapies and increase quality of life for patients. Interoperability and data compatibility should become a priority for all stakeholders developing data technologies to increase data flow and improve the interpretation of data.

Moreover, the Indigo system employs technologies such as ECG (electrocardiogram) via wrist sensors, photoplethysmography for heart rate monitoring, and additional sensors integrated for running metrics and physiological status tracking. These are especially suited for detailed cardiovascular monitoring and performance analytics, capturing variables including heart rate, heart rhythm irregularities, running economy parameters, step speed loss, and other biometric data reflecting the patient’s or athlete's physiological and training state.

Danaë Delbeke hopes for more regulatory support and reimbursement schemes to launch digital health products at scale. The use of digital health products and applications could reduce the need for frequent physical follow-ups and the prompts to monitor conditions, making healthcare more accessible and convenient for all.