Ingestible e-Pill approved for use in hospitals

BodyCap, a France-based company said to be dedicated to the development of miniature wireless electronic sensors, recently announced that its e-Celsius® device has earned CE mark approval and is now commercially available for hospital use.  The device will be available in the European Economic Area, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

According to BodyCap, the e-Celsius® device is a disposable electronic capsule coated in a biocompatible medical grade plastic and allows for the continuous and non-invasive monitoring of a patient’s core temperature.  The pill wirelessly transmits temperature measurements to a monitor viewable by a health care professional and exits the body in about 1 to 3 days.  Sébastien Moussay, co-founder of BodyCap stated:

“The e-Celsius device is a true alternative method to the current use of rectal or eosophageal probes, which are invasive, uncomfortable, generate stress and limit the patient’s mobility.”

 “Our device is less intrusive and requires less from the medical staff, while at the same time increasing the well-being of both patients and healthcare personnel by lightening the workload. With the internal memory embedded in each capsule, e-Celsius ensures the monitoring of the patient’s temperature kinetics in real time or deferred time, whatever the measurement conditions.”

BodyCap’s website indicates that the broad medical applications of the e-Celsius® capsule ranges from general diagnostic to  monitoring of patients during surgery or chemotherapy.  Related e-Celsius® capsules have already been used outside the hospital setting, particularly in the monitoring of athletes.  The device has previously been used during athletic events including the New York Marathon and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Persistent Market Research estimates the market for global ingestible e-pills will reach almost $1.5 billion by the end of 2024.  The e-Celsius® capsules reportedly will be sold for a unit price of $42 to $63, depending on volume, according to a MedGadget article.

Other ingestible sensors on the market include products by Proteus Digital Health.

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