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| Medtronic got a CE mark for its Sentrino CGM device--courtesy of Medtronic |
Medtronic ($MDT) picked up a CE mark for its Sentrino Continuous Glucose Management System, which the company says is the first device of its kind designed for use in hospital critical care units.
The device provides real-time trend data on patients' glucose levels, featuring predictive alarms that go off if a patient's levels fall outside a customized range, allowing physicians to take action before glycemic excursions take place. The tech uses a minimally invasive subcutaneous sensor that Medtronic says inserts quickly with low rates of complication.
Sentrino is still investigational in the U.S., but Medtronic Vice President Greg Meehan said the need for next-generation CGM in critical care will push the world market for such devices to around $1 billion a year.
"Despite its many benefits, good glycemic control is difficult to achieve in the CCU, and that's why we developed Sentrino," Meehan said in a statement. "Medtronic has a decade of CGM expertise, and we coupled it with extensive clinical research to develop the Sentrino CGM System for critically ill patients."
Medtronic has seen robust growth in its diabetes business over the past year, reporting $378 million in revenue last quarter, a 3% jump over 2011. The company's diabetes unit has been buoyed along by strong international sales from its Paradigm Veo insulin pump and Enlite CGM sensor, and the launch of Sentrino in CE mark countries should only pad those numbers.
- here's the announcement