Closed-loop insulin delivery
Closed-loop insulin delivery isn’t a totally new innovation but it continues to penetrate the diabetes care market.
Tandem Diabetes Care (NSDQ:TNDM) is at the forefront of the space, with its t:slim X2 insulin pump and Control-IQ advanced hybrid closed-loop technology to control Type 1 diabetes. The system, which is compatible with Dexcom’s (NSDQ:DXCM) G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre CGM, was approved by the FDA in December 2019.
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) also has a closed-loop insulin delivery system: the MiniMed, which was the first system of its kind to win clearance globally in 2016. Medtronic and Tandem last summer inked a non-exclusive patent cross-license agreement related to their diabetes treatment tech as they both develop competing products.
The closed-loop automated insulin delivery systems can track glucose levels, or in Tandem’s case, pair with CGMs that track the levels, and automatically administer or withhold insulin depending upon the readings. They’ve also been referred to as the artificial pancreas.
While the technology has been on the market for a few years, there remains room to grow in the automated insulin delivery space for closed-loop systems.
