Breaking news in the world of Diabetes tech today saw Medtronic and Abbott share news of a partnership to provide Abbott CGM technology to Medtronic for use with their AID and Smart pen systems.
So what does this mean for Medtronic’s CGM? Are they finally drawing a line under their attempts to produce a competitive, effective and value for money CGM system, and recognising that others can both do it better and have the production capacity to cope with global distribution?
Abbot’s press release states:
Unique partnership with Medtronic will enable continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors based on Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre sensing technology to integrate with Medtronic’s insulin delivery systems […]
The CGM sensor, designed to work exclusively with Medtronic devices, will be developed by Abbott and sold by Medtronic.
Medtronic’s reads:
Medtronic is excited to announce a global partnership with Abbott to expand CGM options for people living with diabetes. Under this unique agreement, the companies will collaborate on an integrated CGM based on Abbott’s most advanced CGM platform. Abbott will supply Medtronic with a CGM that will work exclusively with Medtronic smart dosing devices and software across both automated insulin delivery and Smart MDI systems. These systems, including the Abbott-based CGM, will be sold exclusively by Medtronic. […]
We look forward to offering our Simplera™ platform alongside this integrated CGM to bring more choice to people living with diabetes within one seamless Medtronic experience,” said Que Dallara, executive vice president and president, Medtronic Diabetes.
I’ve obviously shortened both these statements, but there are some clear takeaways here:
- Whatever the Abbott based CGM is, it is unlikely to be called Libre, as it will be integrated with only Medtronic AID systems and only sold by Medtronic. Maybe we’re looking at “SimpleraX, powered by Libre”…
- Abbott’s leading position globally in the CGM market may be the driving force for this. Why force people to change sensor if you already have it in your armoury to encourage simply changing pump and AID system?
- Additionally, Abbott have provided a variety of performance data relating to their CGM and it’s conformance with iCGM standards. Medtronic have yet to do so for Simplera. Has this been putting potential users off?
- There are no plans at present to take Simplera out of the picture. I suspect that this will be dependent on the take up of the alternative, if it arrives. We have, however, heard from those who participated in clinical trials, that Medtronic have looked at extending the life of Simplera beyond 7 days. Does this announcement suggest that the outcomes from those trials weren’t as desirable as expected?
- This is the initial announcement. Who knows when a new product will arrive, or what the approval process might be. Or what the product might look like? In theory, at least, Libre2 Plus already has iCGM approval for use with AID systems. Can Abbott shortcut the process to get this into Medtronic systems quickly as a result? Will it be cheaper than Guardian/Simplera?
- Medtronic appears to have recognised that users want both choice and longer lasting sensors, neither of which they’ve historically had. This is welcome, given that the Glucositter algorithm on the 780G is one of the better ones on the market.
- Is this the start of a new “Powered by Libre” brand for Abbott?
- Does the agreement include an exclusivity arrangement locking Medtronic (by far the largest AID distributor globally) out of co-operating with Dexcom for a period of time?
Whatever you might think about this announcement, increased choice in the Medtronic ecosystem can only be a good thing that benefits users. What it does to share prices in the diabetes tech world is a rather different question.
Let’s hope that it comes sooner rather than later.
Some thoughts from Davor Skeledzija over at https://www.nainzulinu.com/vijesti-i-dogadjanja/udruzuju-se-medtronic-i-abbott/
I’d still be using a Medtronic pump if they’d opened up to integrating with Dexcom six years ago. This won’t drag me back. I vastly prefer the Tandem AID system and my experience with the Mad. AID system and Guardian CGM put me off for good.
I’m not sure about your statement that “increased choice in the Medtronic ecosystem can only be a good thing that benefits users”. What would really benefit users is full adoption of the original intent of iCGM, rather than perpetuating systems that allow manufacturer lock-in.