The International Diabetes Federation says that more than 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Yet, that population remains significantly under-penetrated by the wide range of diabetes technologies available.
In an effort to address this, Dexcom recently unveiled its “Dexcom State of Type 2 Report: Access and Attitudes Across Europe and the Middle East.” This report surveyed 2,500 people, featuring individuals with type 2 diabetes and healthcare professionals across Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the UK.
Findings delivered insights into care and perceptions of diabetes technology within the type 2 population, according to a news release. The State of Type 2 report serves as a call to action for policymakers, the company says. It demonstrates the benefits of continuous glucose monitor (CGM) technology for the significant amount of people with type 2 diabetes across the regions it surveyed.
Dexcom has looked to reach the type 2 population through last year’s launch of the Stelo device, a small, wearable sensor, specifically for people with type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin.
Speaking to Drug Delivery Business News while attending the 18th International Conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) in Amsterdam, Dexcom COO Jake Leach explained the company’s aims with this latest report and its recent developments on the technology front.
“The numbers continue to increase around the globe,” Leach said. “So our focus right now is on bringing awareness to the benefits of CGM. … We want to continue to work towards better coverage and better access.”
What the report said about attitudes toward type 2 diabetes
The survey’s findings highlighted the significance of access to CGM and education. More than half (52%) of healthcare providers ranked access as having the potential to help people with type 2 manage their condition in the next 10 years. That compared to 38% who opted for better or more effective medications.
“The majority of the physicians interviewed said that they feel that CGM is more powerful that treating diabetes than than drugs,” Leach said. The key there is that you know the drugs. You know pharmaceuticals have long been part of the diabetes treatment regime, but CGM is also becoming a really important part of how to manage diabetes, whether you’re using insulin or not.”
Dexcom said 77% of people with type 2 diabetes who hadn’t used CGM expected it to improve the lives of those with type 2. That compared to 93% of people with type 2 who used CGM and agreed it had a positive impact.
Healthcare providers see CGM as the standard of care, with 96% agreeing that those on multiple daily insulin injections should use CGM. Additionally, 86% agreed that those relying on basal insulin should be offered CGM. Providers see funding constraints (35%) and narrow inclusion criteria (20%) as the primary barriers to CGM adoption.
“CGM gives you that window in your body that you don’t have any other way, and really gives the user something that they can do about it,” Leach said. “That learning and education is so important, and then the continued follow-up with the way that the data continues to show improvement and also motivates individuals to manage their diabetes, it’s a very empowering tool.”
What Dexcom wants to do about it
Leach outlined a two-pronged approach toward type 2 diabetes at the San Diego-based company. First, products need to be easier to use. Second, product developers need to generate clinical evidence to support the expansion.
Dexcom conducted studies for type 2 users on basal insulin and another randomized controlled trial for those on multiple daily injections (MDI) with type 2. The company sought to determine if someone with type 2 would benefit from CGM like those with type 1.
Leach said the company had confidence that the data would back CGM use in type 2. But the key was simply to produce that data first.
“It’s important to generate that evidence and use that evidence globally to continue the discussions around opening up greater access for all the people that can actually benefit from CGM,” Leach said.
Leach also says Dexcom’s portfolio has features that provide a lot of choice, whether for those on MDI or those using automated insulin delivery systems (like those from Insulet, Tandem Diabetes Care, Beta Bionics and ViCentra, which all integrate with Dexcom CGM). The company now also offers connectivity with Novo Nordisk’s NovoPen 6 and NovoPen Echo Plus, offering more utility for the sensors.
He said the cost-effectiveness of the company’s technology, its compatibility with a range of other technologies and the other features like ease of use make it beneficial for people with diabetes, including those with type 2 who haven’t yet utilized technology like CGM. It’s just a matter of making it accessible.
“It’s really about just bringing awareness to each of the different decision-makers around the table in getting this access,” Leach said. “The addressable market is very large. It’s our job to figure out how to get people the CGMs that they need.”
