UK battery developer Ilika has completed the necessary validation steps for its Stereax M300 micro-battery production line at manufacturing partner Cirtec Medical’s facility in Massachusetts, US.

Developed at the UK’s Southampton University, the Stereax battery has been designed with form factor and longevity in mind to power wearables for applications such as diabetes treatment, wherein the peripheral nervous system is stimulated.

In achieving this, the millimetre-scale battery is typically placed within a capsule-sized implant inserted into the body using minimally invasive techniques.

According to Ilika, while the Stereax battery’s longevity is important, its miniaturisation, ensuring it has the “right functionality for the application” and the ability to integrate into wearables for functions such as nerve stimulation, has been a key developmental focus.

Ilika’s CEO Graeme Purdy told Medical Device Network: “A lot of the applications we're seeing involve stimulating the vagus nerve, which is connected to many different organs in the body.

“The vagus nerve is connected to the pancreas, for instance, and by stimulating it, the pancreas can be made to release insulin, thereby mitigating the need for individuals with diabetes to take insulin injections.

“The golden bullet outcome from this is that you end up with a closed loop system, whereby the amount of glucose in somebody's blood can be measured, and when it crosses a given threshold, you can stimulate the pancreas.

“By having a measurement for glucose, combined with stimulation of the pancreas, ultimately the patient will hardly be aware that they've had a malfunction of their normal biochemistry.”

Stereax also has applications in powering motion sensors and Bluetooth chips implanted into replacement joints to transmit data around a patient’s rehabilitation activities following a joint replacement.

Purdy explained: “By putting a small sensor into a replacement knee joint, the level and frequency of the movement a patient goes through can be monitored, offering the potential to more effectively track the steps they take as part of their recovery.

The completion of the process qualification activates a ten-year manufacturing agreement signed between Ilica and Cirtec in 2023. Initial deliveries of the Stereax M300 batteries to customers will begin this year.