Trinity Biotech, Bayer Working on CGM Biosensor Device

Add Trinity Biotech plc and Bayer to the increasingly crowded continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) market.

The two companies are working on developing a CGM biosensor device that eventually will be launched in China and India. The partnership is related to Trinity Biotech’s acquisition earlier this year of Waveform Technologies Inc.’s CGM assets. 

“We could not have asked for a stronger international partner to help us embark on the journey of introducing our newly acquired innovative and accessible biosensor technology into large diabetes markets with significant unmet needs,” Trinity Biotech CEO John Gillard stated. “The combination of Bayer’s local commercial presence and Trinity’s ability to manufacture a low cost of care CGM device on the back of the Waveform acquisition can drive our collaboration to a market-leading status in China, aiding both patients and physicians with the management of diabetes in a data-driven and scaled way. In addition, Bayer’s presence in the diabetes market in India provides an ideal partnership for us to drive adoption of CGM in this strategically important and expanding market. I believe that this development demonstrates the value that can be created for Trinity’s shareholders through the company’s revised strategy”.
 
Both Trinity Biotech and Bayer intend to negotiate a definitive agreement under the framework set by the Letter of Intent in the coming months. The China Joint Partnership intends to leverage Bayer’s presence in the Chinese healthcare market, particularly in diabetes, and is intended to lead to the launch of a low cost of care, high-quality, CGM device designed to make diabetes care more accessible and affordable in the Middle Kingdom. Type 2 diabetes is a major health concern in China, with a significant and rapidly growing diabetes prevalence rate due to such factors as urbanization, dietary changes, and sedentary lifestyles.
 
In addition to the proposal for the Chinese market, the Letter of Intent includes a framework to launch a CGM device in India, which also faces a significant public health challenge. More than 100 million people in the country are living with diabetes and healthcare officials have noticed a rise in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. To date, CGM use in India is not widespread, but has been trending higher recently with increasing awareness about self-care. Bayer Pharma India has a strong presence in the diabetes market with brands like Kerendia and Glucobay. With a low cost of care offering, this partnership intends to increase access to CGM technology across India.
 
Trinity Biotech develops, acquires, manufactures, and markets diagnostic systems, including both reagents and instrumentation, for the point-of-care and clinical laboratory segments of the diagnostic market. The products are used to detect infectious diseases and to quantify the level of Haemoglobin A1c and other chemistry parameters in serum, plasma and whole blood. Trinity Biotech sells direct in the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom and through a network of international distributors and strategic partners in more than 75 countries worldwide.