Continuous Glucose Monitoring: A Revolution Powered by DexCom
Executive Summary
Small company DexCom, finds itself a leader in continuous glucose monitoring, the hottest new segment of glucose monitoring, a business otherwise dominated by giant companies. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is all the buzz at diabetes and critical care clinical meetings these days. CGM systems give diabetic patients in the home (or the hospital) glucose readings at any hour of the day without the need to get out the finger-stick testing paraphernalia. More than that, though, CGM is a new tool for achieving tight glycemic control, and avoiding the excursions above and below the normal glucose levels, which are responsible for the hospitalizations as well as the long-term harmful consequences of diabetes. As a frontrunner in the field, DexCom shares with Medtronic the challenge of proving the value of CGM to payers, especially since the task involves throwing over the gold standard by which successful glycemic control is measured-the HbA1c test.
You may also be interested in...
Insulin Device Companies' New Mantra: Real Simple
Companies developing devices for diabetes have to ask a question that companies in other medical device fields don't: what about the users, the people with diabetes? How will they use the device? Because in diabetes care, management of the disease is left up to the patient, who is asked to self-test blood glucose levels, self-administer insulin by injection, and pay attention to diet and exercise. Acknowledging that the patient is the single most important contributor to success in diabetes care, start-up companies have set out to make insulin delivery easier. With a focus on ease of use as a clinical advantage, start-ups are offering new insulin delivery devices for two distinct markets: the full-featured (but easy to use) insulin pump for Type 1 diabetes, and the disposable, simple insulin patch/infuser for Type 2.
Edwards Lifesciences and Dexcom Join Forces in New Critical Care Growth Market
A new market in hospital intensive care units has opened up for companies glucose monitoring technologies and it represents a double-digit growth opportunity both for companies with continuous glucose monitors and critical care franchises. As partners,, Edwards Lifesciences and Dexcom bring both the marketing and technological strengths to successfully compete in this new market.
Medical Device and In Vitro Diagnostics/Research Deal Statistics Quarterly, Q3 2008
Highlights from the Q3 2008 review of device and diagnostics dealmaking: Led by late-stage rounds, financing for medical device firms--at just over $1bn--showed a slight improvement over the last quarter. IPOs and follow-ons were noticeably absent in Q3, reminiscent of a time in 2003 when the IPO window closed. Not even one of the 13 device M&A transactions reached the billion-dollar mark, but the largest deal, GE Healthcare's buy of Vital Signs for $990mm, came close. In vitro diagnostics/research financings doubled to $643mm led by Illumina's $343mm FOPO. M&A activity in this industry was scant with a mere three transactions. However, Nanogen's reverse merger with Elitech Group--worth $99mm-beat the median M&A deal price ($60mm) over the past five years. Interestingly many in vitro diagnostics players turned to alliances with tech transfer entities in hopes of filling their pipelines.