Proactive Oxygen Supply

Living cells are dependent on adequate oxygen supply first and foremost for survival and then for proper physiological operation. Islet cells are very active metabolically subset of cells. In the pancreas, they are highly vascularized and receive, per unit weight, ten times more blood than the neighboring exocrine cells that do not produce hormones. Consequently, the demand for oxygen supply to islets outside their natural habitat is excessive and is a necessary nutrient for proper synthesis and secretion of hormones.

None of the conventional implantation sites in the body is able to maintain correct physiological responses of a requested dose of packed islets, primarily because the lack of acceptable supply of oxygen trigger deterioration of insulin secreting cells. In fact, any viable technology supporting successful implantation of insulin-producing cells must include a solution for adequate oxygen supply. So far, no such solution has been developed except that of the ßAir technology.

Beta-O2 Technologies has developed a proprietary technology in which a gas blend formulation, enriched for oxygen, is proactively promoted from external source into the module of the encapsulated IOLs.
The system consists of an extra-corporal smart pump, implanted gas chamber and connecting tubes harboring a disposable, transcutaneous needle. Using this approach, oxygen is periodically ‘fed’ into the implanted gas chamber. The system makes sure that implanted islets will always be nourished with adequate level of oxygen. This unique differentiation factor makes the ßAir BAP device matchless in its capacity to preserve viability and functionality of IOLs for long periods of time.