Medtronic ($MDT) this week received European regulatory approval to begin selling its MiniMed Duo system that combines constant glucose monitoring and insulin infusion into one unit. The nod marks one more step toward a coveted closed-loop insulin delivery system and, further down the road, a full-blown artificial pancreas.
The company said in a release that the device is the first of its kind to combine a glucose sensor and insulin infusion in one on-body device, and is used in conjunction with the MiniMed Veo. With only one entry point into the body versus the previous need for two--one to monitor glucose levels and one to deliver insulin--the Duo system is less painful and more convenient to use for active patients, and only needs to be changed every three days.
"In the past, many people have been reluctant to use a system that requires them to wear two separate devices on their bodies," Dr. Francine Kaufman, chief medical officer and vice president of Global Clinical Affairs for Medtronic Diabetes, said in a statement. "By integrating a glucose sensor and infusion set into one device, MiniMed Duo will make it easier and more comfortable for these patients to adopt and experience the benefits of CGM technology."
Pending other local approvals, the Minnesota-based device giant said the rollout of the MiniMed Duo will be in select European countries over the next few months. It is not currently available in the U.S.
- see the release
Editor's note: A paragraph incorrectly stating that the device used Medtronic's Threshold technology was deleted. We apologize for the error. A sentence stating that the device is used with MiniMed Veo was added for clarification. The headline was also clarified.