Glooko, a digital health business, has added a series of devices to a recently launched platform designed to aggregate not only data from blood-gluose meters and insulin pumps, but also to help diabetes patients and caregivers view that data in context with activity and diet collected from other apps.
It will be integrating a series of devices to the platform. The first is Roche’s bluetooth low energy blood-glucose meter ACCU-CHECK Connect.
In the next few weeks it will add more connected devices so diabetics, caregivers and their physicians can see their health data in context.
One of the companies it has inked agreements with is Abbott. It to add its Freestyle Libre blood-glucose sensor — a device that’s designed to serve as a continuous glucose meter — as well as with products from Lifescan. It is worn on the skin and uses a sensor that connects with a filament implanted in the skin. to help users aggregate the data through a smartphone app. In a short Q & A with Glooko Product Analytics and Marketing Manager Vikram Singh, he explained the significance of its collaboration with Roche and some of its work in the diabetes space.
What is the significance of the deal with Roche in the context of large medical device and pharma companies you work with?
We see this particular announcement with Roche to be significant because:
1) BLE (bluetooth low energy) diabetes devices are the wave of the now/future and Glooko aims to be the de facto platform for where people with diabetes access data from these devices. Roche embracing Glooko’s announcement of its integration of the Accu Chek Connect BLE meter only a few weeks after the launch of the meter itself is an indication of Glooko’s de facto status.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
2) Glooko’s ability to integrate with diabetes devices as they come to market reflects the changing mindset amongst diabetes device manufacturers away from the proprietary software/data ownership model towards an open data ecosystem that gives people with diabetes choices and enhances effectiveness of diabetes management.
Have the changes at Joslin Diabetes Center’s management team had any impact on your business?
No! Joslin is committed to best-in-class clinical diabetes care and diabetes research and Glooko shares a similar mission. We don’t have any insight into Joslin’s management strategy, but we do know they’re always striving for the best outcomes for people with diabetes.
At this point, is it basically just a matter of time before you integrate with all of the major medical device glucose meter readers? Have data sharing and ownership been significant obstacles that you have had to hammer out with these companies?
Our goal is to have every popular and clinically relevant diabetes device compatible with Glooko. Currently well over 90 percent of blood glucose meters, ~100 percent of continuous glucose monitors, and 80 percent of Insulin pumps (Medtronic and Insulet) are or will be compatible with Glooko, so we’re well on our way….At Glooko’s inception several years ago, nearly all diabetes device companies were still very much entrenched in the proprietary software/hardware model. The sledding was tough for Glooko at the start, with data sharing and ownership being significant obstacles. However, just a few years later and device manufacturers are now coming to Glooko to ensure their devices are on our platform. We think the data sharing and ownership obstacles are being worked through for two key reasons:
1) People with diabetes want choice in how they access their data and
2) Healthcare professionals want more effective ways to access and interpret diabetes data during clinical appointments.
Given the FBI warning about the vulnerability of medical devices to hacking how much responsibility does Glooko take with keeping that data protected?
We have three FDA 510(k) clearances and are HIPAA-complaint. We have a good working relationship with the FDA and take a proactive approach in making sure any improvements to the Glooko platform will not impact patient safety or risk data privacy.
Aside from hyperglycemia are there any other events that the contextualized information your platform gathers can address?
Absolutely. We collect data on carbs, insulin, medication, blood glucose, blood pressure, weight and more… We plan to build intelligent analytics around all of these data types as it pertains to making diabetes management more effective.
Do you see medical device companies making a play to acquire digital companies like yours? Or do you think they see more value in you being independent?
Glooko is committed to being a unified diabetes management platform that makes diabetes management easier. We don’t think about acquisitions, we think about diabetes!
Photo: BigStock Photos
