Abbott launches first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor in U.S. | Wilnesh News

Abbott Laboratories announced on Thursday that its over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor Lingo is available in the United States, with prices starting at $49.

Lingo is part of an emerging class of consumer-friendly biosensors that people can use to understand how their bodies respond to food, exercise, sleep and stress. These devices, called continuous glucose monitors, are small sensors that pierce the skin to measure immediate blood sugar levels. Glucose is a sugar molecule from food and is the body’s main source of energy.

Continuous glucose monitors have become a tool for people with diabetes, but the Lingo is not for diabetes management. Instead, it’s designed for adults who don’t take insulin and want to “improve their overall health.”

Everyone’s blood sugar levels fluctuate, but persistently high levels can lead to more serious health problems, such as metabolic disease, insulin resistance and heart disease, Abbott said. The company believes Lingo can educate users on their existing habits and help them learn to manage their blood sugar in a healthier way.

“That’s really our goal, not only to see and understand what’s going on inside the body, but to be able to improve on that, to be able to create healthy habits that drive those changes,” said Ben Fohner, director of Abbott Lingo app, in Acceptance CNBC said in an interview.

Abbott already provides continuous glucose monitors to diabetics in the United States, so the company hopes to enter a new market with Lingo. For example, about one-third of Americans have prediabetes, but these patients often don’t qualify for a prescription or insurance for a monitor.

Now, they can buy the sensors out of pocket without a prescription. Abbott said users can purchase one sensor online for $49, two sensors for $89, or six sensors for $249. Each sensor can be worn on the upper arm for up to 14 days.

Olivier Ropars, vice president of Abbott’s Lingo division, said the company decided to offer three different pricing options so curious consumers wouldn’t be intimidated by a lengthy commitment. Customers can choose to purchase just one sensor to try it out for a few weeks.

“We want to make it as accessible and affordable as possible,” Ropals told CNBC.

Abbott’s rival Dexcom is also targeting the prediabetes market. The company released an over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor aimed at this population in late August. Dexcom’s device, called Stelo, is available in the United States for $89 per month. The company says it can also be used by people with type 2 diabetes who don’t take insulin.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Dexcom’s Stelo in March and Abbott’s two over-the-counter continuous glucose monitoring systems in June. One of Abbott’s systems is Lingo, and the second, called Libre Rio, is for people with type 2 diabetes who don’t take insulin.

Although technically type 2 patients who don’t take insulin can use Lingo, Ropars said Abbott’s recommendation is to primarily use Libre Rio because it’s specifically designed for them. The company declined to say when Libre Rio will be launched.

Lingo App

Like many continuous glucose monitors, the Lingo transmits data wirelessly to an app. When users turn it on, they see instant blood glucose data readings updated every minute.

These glucose readings are plotted on a chart that includes shaded areas that represent “healthy ranges.” Fohner said Abbott’s clinical team defined the range as 140 milligrams per deciliter to 70 milligrams per deciliter.

One of Abbott’s main goals is to help Lingo users understand blood sugar spikes, what happens when the amount of sugar in the blood quickly increases and then decreases. Blood sugar spikes often occur after eating.

Spikes may push a user’s blood sugar readings outside of the healthy range, but they can also occur within the healthy range. Limiting spikes and improving overall blood sugar management can help users improve sleep and mood, manage weight and be proactive about their future health, Abbott said.

To help users conceptualize the impact of peaks, Abbott created a metric called “Lingo Count.” This is an algorithm that assigns each glucose spike a numerical value, which is supposed to represent the severity of the effect. Every day, users have a target term count that they want to keep below that target.

As users scroll down Lingo’s homepage, they can see the data displayed on a second, more interactive blood glucose chart. A number will appear in the shaded area below the spike, which represents the term count for that spike.

“This is unique to Lingo, but really that number is a metric and a function of how high your peak was, how long it lasted, and what impact that peak had on your body,” Fohner said. ”

Users can analyze Lingo Count data and see how they perform over time and what time of day they tend to experience their most severe spikes. They can also participate in challenges and access educational resources to learn how to reduce these spikes.

Metabolism doesn’t change overnight, and everyone’s body works differently, Ropals said. He said Lingo could serve as a window into how and why a user’s blood sugar levels change. But Ropars said Lingo’s real value lies in its ability to support users in establishing healthy habits.

“A lot of our products today are designed to help people who are suffering from chronic illness or disease and trying to get back on track,” he said. “Here, for the first time, we are developing a product that can help people, improve their daily lives, and take control of their health before they get sick.”