We’ve been in downtown San Francisco this week at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference, which is the most prestigious life sciences conference that we attend. We have heard some great updates and wanted to fill you in – see below for highlights.

• New Dexcom in 2018- Dexcom management announced that a no-calibration version of the G6 CGM will launch sometime this year, possibly as soon as mid-year.
• New version of Verily – The Verily Dexcom first generation sensor is now expected in late 2018 or early 2019.
• United Healthcare and Dexcom – United Healthcare and Dexcom are conducting a pilot of CGM and coaching in 10,000 people with type 2 diabetes.
• Insulet – As we reported earlier this week on diaTribe.org, Insulet will begin Medicare Part D talks over the next few months, enabling an official coverage start in January 2019. Although coverage doesn’t officially begin until next year, there is an opportunity to receive Medicare coverage on an exception basis, which sounds complicated but we think will not be as difficult as it seems.
• On the therapy side… - Sanofi and Lilly are clearly both trying to help people affected by obesity to a greater extent.
  
  • In particular, Sanofi’s CEO, Mr. Oliver Brandicourt, spent some time talking about an obesity drug that will have a major phrase three trial this year (GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist SAR425899). We are happy to see Sanofi investing in such a big trial that will provide more options for people with obesity.
  • Lilly also emphasized an intent to help people with obesity in the coming year by launching in the diabetes market first but focusing on body weight reduction in drugs currently being studied. 

By Emily Fitts