Medtronic Expands Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Solutions for People with Diabetes Using Insulin Injections with CE Mark Receipt
New Guardian(TM) Connect System Will Be Launched in Q2 FY17 Outside the U.S.
DUBLIN - July 19, 2016 - Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), the global leader in medical technology, today announced it has received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark for its new Guardian(TM) Connect mobile continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system for people with diabetes using insulin injection therapy. Guardian Connect is the first smartphone-enabled CGM system from Medtronic to receive CE Mark and further demonstrates the company’s intent to provide solutions for people across the diabetes care continuum. The system will be launched on a country-by-country basis in the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, beginning with select countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
With Guardian Connect, people on insulin injections will be able to check their current glucose level anytime on their mobile device, as easily as checking other information sources such as email, the weather or social media. They can also be alerted of high and low glucose levels on their mobile device, helping them confidently avoid or address high and low glucose situations. Guardian Connect is the first and only mobile CGM system with customizable SMS text alerts enabling care partners to receive high and low glucose alerts on any connected mobile device. The system also features the option to automatically upload the data daily into CareLink(TM) therapy management software, which reduces the burden of data upload for both people on insulin injection therapy as well as their healthcare providers.
“Having continuous, real-time access to glucose values and being alerted to important trends and events is key for people with diabetes. With our new Guardian Connect system, we’ve continued to innovate so we can deliver these insights for people with diabetes on insulin injection therapy,” said Annette Brüls, president, Diabetes Service and Solutions at Medtronic. “Guardian Connect is also compatible with our CareLink® diabetes therapy management platform and arms healthcare providers, their patients and care partners with actionable data to help improve day-to-day diabetes management and make long-term therapy adjustments. Expanding our solutions to help more people with diabetes no matter where they are on the care continuum is central to our goal of transforming diabetes care for greater freedom and better health.”
The Guardian Connect system consists of a small wearable CGM device that takes glucose readings every five minutes (288 times a day) and sends these glucose values directly to a smartphone app. People on insulin injection therapy can use the system to check glucose levels on their mobile phones, enabling them to see highs and lows in real-time, understand the trends and help improve their daily management of diabetes. Alerts can also be set up if glucose levels go above or below preset levels, helping patients prevent or address potentially dangerous high and low glucose events. All of this information can be shared with care partners via SMS text messages and via access to the real-time CGM tracing from any web-enabled device. In addition, healthcare providers can leverage automatic daily data uploads via CareLink.
The Guardian Connect smartphone app will initially be available with iOS devices. Medtronic is currently developing an Android version of the Guardian Connect app for release at a later date. The Guardian Connect system is not yet available for sale in the United States.
The Guardian(TM) Connect mobile continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system for people with diabetes using insulin injection therapy is the first smartphone-enabled CGM system from Medtronic to receive CE Mark and further demonstrates the company’s intent to provide solutions for people across the diabetes care continuum.
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About Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)
A CGM system provides continuous, real-time trend information about glucose levels for people with diabetes. It allows for appropriate intervention (after verifying with a blood fingerstick test) to mitigate hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), maximizing the patient’s time in the optimal glucose target range. To use a CGM system, the person with diabetes inserts a tiny sensor beneath the skin, typically in the abdomen. The sensor, which measures glucose levels from the fluid under the skin, is attached to a transmitter that sends readings to a wearable monitor or the insulin pump every five minutes. Alerts and alarms can be customized to notify patients up to 30 minutes before they reach personal preset low or high sensor glucose limits. CGM provides a more complete picture because it reveals high and low glucose levels that periodic blood fingerstick testing might miss.
About the Diabetes Group at Medtronic (www.medtronicdiabetes.com)
Medtronic is working together with the global community to change the way people manage diabetes. The company aims to transform diabetes care by expanding access, integrating care and improving outcomes, so people living with diabetes can enjoy greater freedom and better health.
About Medtronic
Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world’s largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 85,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 160 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.
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