Wirelessly Powered Implant Targets Excess Glucose in the Blood

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that is becoming increasingly common worldwide. It is often associated with obesity, sedentary behavior, and prolonged excess energy intake. Although insulin lowers blood sugar, it does not address the chronic energy surplus that can contribute to continued weight gain. To help manage excess circulating glucose, researchers have developed an implantable electronic system designed to remove it from the blood.

Developed by ETH Zurich researchers as a potential treatment approach for type 2 diabetes, the system uses an electrically powered inorganic catalyst rather than cells, enzymes, or other biological components. The findings were published in Science on October 22, 2026.

The catalyst works by converting excess blood glucose into gluconate, removing some glucose from further metabolism and reducing its storage in tissue. The resulting gluconate is then excreted in the urine.

To carry out this conversion, the implant incorporates graphite felt studded with gold nanoclusters and decorated with smaller platinum particles. An electronic control unit sits inside a 3D-printed casing, while power is supplied wirelessly at 13.56 MHz, a frequency designated internationally for industrial, scientific, and medical applications.

Catalyst activity is managed through a wireless closed-loop system. A standard glucose sensor continuously monitors tissue glucose and sends a Bluetooth signal to a smartphone or smartwatch when blood sugar rises too high after a meal. The smart device then activates the catalyst, with the implant switching off automatically once glucose reaches the desired level.

The team first tested the catalyst in a reservoir containing five liters of glucose-containing nutrient solution, roughly equivalent to the volume of blood in the human body. It converted glucose in this volume as intended. In separate tests in diabetic mice, the complete system precisely regulated blood sugar, supported weight loss, was well tolerated, and operated reliably over six weeks.

“The system operates at a very low voltage, and our experiments showed no evidence of tissue damage from either electrical or thermal effects,” said Martin Fussenegger, professor in ETH Zurich’s Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel.

“For decades, we have treated diabetes by telling the body how to manage glucose. We are now showing that we can take control of glucose directly, using electronics rather than drugs. And the catalyst only activates when glucose levels are too high,” said Fussenegger.

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