How a Dexcom-Insulet combination would shake up the diabetes treatment industry was published by Ricky Zipp for MedTechDive.com, 25 May 2022.
After last year’s barrage of deal-making in the medical device industry, there have been few acquisitions in the first months of 2022. That may change following a report that Dexcom, which makes continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), is in talks to buy Insulet, an insulin pump manufacturer.
A purchase price wasn’t given in the report by Bloomberg News, which cited unidentified people familiar with the matter. Insulet’s market value is about $15 billion. Spokespersons for both Dexcom and Insulet declined to comment on the report.
A Dexcom-Insulet combined company would put both CGMs and insulin pumps under one roof, joining Medtronic as the only other company in the market to offer both devices. The deal would then leave other market leaders Abbott Laboratories and Tandem Diabetes Care offering either just CGMs or pumps, respectively.
A “big question” facing Tandem is how its relationship with Dexcom will be impacted if the company does acquire Insulet. And a merger between Dexcom and Insulet could put competitors in a “tough spot” as the diabetes technology industry has been focused on company collaboration while leaving patients with fewer options.
“The second question, of course, then becomes, If Dexcom picks up Insulet, does Abbott want to consider a similar play in the insulin pump market?
Read more: How a Dexcom-Insulet combination would shake up the diabetes treatment industry
Medtronic expects supply chain issues to continue after ‘catastrophic explosion’ last quarter was reported by Elise Reuter for MedTechDive.com, 26 May 2022.
Medtronic expects the supply chain problems that affected its business at the beginning of the year to continue into the next quarter. For its fiscal first quarter, the company forecasts a 4.5% to 5.5% year-over-year decline in organic revenue. This assumes no near-term improvement in the supply chain and a $350 million to $400 million impact from foreign exchange rates
This forecast does not include clearance of its MiniMed 780G insulin pump, which is under review with the Food and Drug Administration. Medtronic is still addressing concerns from an FDA warning letter to its diabetes group.
Read more: Medtronic expects supply chain issues to continue after ‘catastrophic explosion’ last quarter
And a tiny ray of hope?
Levicure Ltd. is an Israeli start-up that aims to provide an effective oral treatment for type 1 diabetes. Their IP is secured by an extensive patent portfolio for an orally administered therapy that consists of a combination of three FDA-approved drugs. Their innovative therapy has been shown to facilitate remission of T1D through restoring own insulin production, stabilizing blood glucose levels, and significantly decreasing exogenous insulin demands, in many cases achieving complete insulin withdrawal in humans. With oral triple-therapy, it is possible to provide patients living with T1D a safe, affordable, and effective, non-invasive, orally administered therapy that will facilitate remission, minimize complications and immeasurably improve their quality of life.
From Levicure’s one-pager, their goal is to provide a scalable solution as a cure or prolonged remission, that will:
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- Eliminate or reduce insulin demands and lead to remission of diabetes
- Promote own insulin production
- Reduce HbA1c
- Reduce hyperglycemia
- Reduce Glucose Variability
- Regulate immune response for islet cell preservation and regeneration
- Minimize, stop or reverse diabetes complications
- Prevent the onset of T1D in “high risk” patients
Therapy will need to be continued chronically. It can be effectively used at any stage of the disease. The best results for complete remission are observed when some of the islet function is preserved at the onset of treatment (ideally within 1 year of manifestation).
If you would like the US Patent and Trademark Office application, filed on 8 August 2019, “Combination treatment for the regenerative therapy of type 1 diabetes mellitus patients” by Shmuel Boris Levit, please send me a request via email: joanne@TheSavvyDiabetic.com.
I suspect Tandem is protected for some time from the impact of a Decom Insult buy-out. With new partnerships between Lilly and other offshore pump companies, I suspect that this will resolve just fine. Because if it does not expect, an antitrust case if Dexcom will not honor its existing contracts. Lawsuit anyone?