DexCom, Inc. today announced the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System is being worn by astronauts in space as part of the Polaris Dawn mission, which launched this morning and aims to better understand the effects of spaceflight on human health.
While in orbit, the Polaris Dawn crew will conduct scientific research designed to advance both human health on Earth and our understanding of human health during long-duration spaceflights.
Dexcom CGM systems consist of a small, wearable sensor that continually measures and sends glucose data wirelessly to a smart device or receiver, giving users accurate real-time glucose data without the need to scan or prick their finger. Dexcom CGMs have industry-leading remote monitoring and reporting capabilities and also provide personalized, actionable insights that empower people to solve important health challenges.
Over their five days in space, the Polaris Dawn crew will conduct around 40 scientific experiments, including several to better understand the effects of spaceflight on glucose health. Labfront, a platform assisting health researchers in collecting and analyzing physiological data, is collaborating with Dexcom to provide advanced analytics for the data collected using Dexcom CGM. The research will explore how microgravity, fluid shifts, and blood flow restriction exercises impact glucose regulation.
“Glucose is a critical biomarker for understanding metabolic responses in space, and analyzing its dynamics and interplay with other physiological biomarkers will provide invaluable data for this mission’s scientific objectives,” said Dr. Andrew Ahn, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and chief medical officer at Labfront.
Dexcom has long believed that understanding glucose is integral to overall health and wellness. Dexcom recently launched Stelo, the first glucose biosensor cleared by the FDA for use without a prescription and available for use by all adults not using insulin in the U.S. Dexcom is the most recommended CGM brand by both patients and healthcare providers, offering a portfolio of glucose biosensors designed to address the needs of people with all types of diabetes and prediabetes.
