24KIT
Newcomers, movers and
shakers
A brief update on kit, companies and other stuff!
Roughly in alphabetical order by company name, by
Sue Marshall.
Abbott
The French health authority
has approved the expansion of
reimbursement coverage for its
FreeStyle Libre 2 system to include
all people who use basal insulin as
part of their diabetes management.
FreeStyle Libre 2 was previously
covered only for people with Type
1 and Type 2 diabetes who require
intensive insulin therapy.
More than 90% of people
living with diabetes in France have
Type 2 diabetes. The expanded
reimbursement enables more people
living with diabetes in France1 to
access the latest CGM technology
that can help them make informed
health and lifestyle decisions.
France is the first country
in Europe to expand national
reimbursement of Abbott's worldleading
FreeStyle Libre technology
to people with diabetes who use
basal insulin. This follows similar
reimbursement coverage expansions
for its technology in Japan and the
US Medicare system. Together, this
represents 3m more people living
with diabetes who are now eligible
to use FreeStyle Libre technology to
manage their condition.
Jared Watkin, senior vice
president of Abbott's diabetes care
business has commented, "Our
goal is to get our FreeStyle Libre
technology to as many people
as possible. The French national
reimbursement decision is an
important step in providing broader
access to people with diabetes,
and we are working with other
countries to extend this coverage to
more people."
The French reimbursement
expansion was granted based on
scientific evidence that shows
the clinical benefits of using the
FreeStyle Libre system among all
people who use insulin.
www.freestylelibre.co.uk
Beta Bionics
In the USA, the FDA has cleared the
Beta Bionics iLet ACE Pump and
the iLet Dosing Decision Software
for individuals 6 years of age and
older with Type 1 diabetes. When
combined with a compatible FDAcleared
integrated continuous
glucose monitor, the iLet ACE
Pump and the iLet Dosing Decision
Software form a new automated
insulin dosing (AID) system called the
iLet Bionic Pancreas.
The iLet Bionic Pancreas uses
an adaptive closed-loop algorithm
requiring only a user's body weight
for start-up and no additional insulin
dosing parameters. This adaptive
algorithm is able to determine and
command insulin delivery removing
the need to manually adjust insulin
pump therapy settings and variables.
The device also includes a new meal
announcement feature that allows
users to estimate the amount of
carbs in their meal as small, medium,
or large. The adaptive algorithm will
learn over time to respond to the
users' individual insulin needs.
Digostics
Expectant mothers under the care
of University Hospital Southampton
(UHS) NHS Foundation Trust
maternity services are set to be the
first in the world to access remotetesting technology
that enables
screening for gestational diabetes
mellitus (GDM) at home rather than
in a clinic.
GDM impacts up to 20% of UK
pregnancies and, left undiagnosed
or untreated, can contribute to
perinatal complications such as
foetal macrosomia, which according
to the NHS increases the risks
of needing labour induction or
Caesarean delivery, as well as other
complications. Prompt identification
of GDM is therefore key, but oral
glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) for
GDM are currently offered only in
clinic and can take the best part
of a morning to complete. This
inconvenience frequently constrains
test throughput, which can lead to
delayed testing.
The diabetes home-testing
solution, GTT@home, developed