Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today it partnered with Fitbit to integrate CGM data alongside physical activity data in Medtronic’s iPro2 myLog mobile application.
The partnership will allow type 2 diabetes patients to more effectively manage their diabetes by being able to monitor how exercise affects their glucose levels, Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic said.
“We believe the integration of wearable technology with professional diagnostic tools can provide a more accurate and actionable view of a patient’s physical activity. By partnering with Medtronic, we are able to bring the power of Fitbit’s automatic activity tracking together with continuous glucose monitoring, allowing patients and providers to have a more informed conversation,” Fitbit digital health VP Adam Pellegrini said in prepared remarks.
The collaboration will also eliminate the need to manually record physical activity for many patients, Medtronic said, and will allow physical activity data to be easily shareable with the patients managing healthcare team.
“We believe monitoring glucose is a critical element in the management of diabetes and therefore, glucose should be included among other vital signs. As such, it has never been more important to increase the collaboration between healthcare and technology to simplify daily diabetes management for the 29 million patients living with type 2 diabetes in the United States. By creating a connection between physical activity and glucose levels, our iPro2 myLog mobile app solution provides new tools and insights, so that physicians can optimize therapy and patients can better understand how to manage their diabetes. By helping people with diabetes implement lasting lifestyle changes, this partnership underscores our commitment to transforming diabetes care, together, for greater freedom and better health,” Medtronic non-intensive diabetes therapies GM Laura Stoltenberg said in a press release.
In September, Medtronic announced the opening of a new headquarters for its non-intensive diabetes therapy business in Plymouth, Minn.
The newly opened facility will act as the global headquarters for the company’s NDT biz, as well as housing product development, research & development, marketing and operations, Medtronic said.
Earlier in September, the company said that data from a study of its closed-loop hybrid artificial pancreas, published in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., showed that the system is safe and effectively maintained blood glucose levels within range in Type I diabetes patients age 14 and older.
