Animas to Leave the Insulin Pump Market Amid Competitive Pressures
The announcement does not affect LifeScan, which makes blood glucose management tools and apps. Company officials said an exclusivity deal between Medtronic and UnitedHealthcare was among the factors that contributed to the decision.
Animas Corporation, part of Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Care, will stop making insulin pumps amid competitive pressures and emerging technology trends, the company has announced.
“We are incredibly grateful to our patients and healthcare partners for the trust confidence and loyalty they have placed in Animas products over the last 12 years,” said Valerie Asbury, Animas general manager, in a
Animas will cease the sale of its Vibe and OneTouch Ping pumps in the United States and Canada, but it will honor warranties. Thus, a patient who needs a replacement pump will be able to get one, said Bridget Kimmel, senior manager for communications and public affairs for Johnson & Johnson Diabetes Solutions, in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®. Decisions about the exit in other countries requires consultation with work councils, she said.
Kimmel said the majority of Amimas’ 90,000 pump users are within the 4-year warranty period, and most will be within warranty through September 30, 2019.
As reported
Second, emerging technology such as
Nonetheless, Dexcom had a relationship with Animas, which received
“JDRF is extremely concerned that Animas Corporation will be closing operations and ending the sale of its insulin pumps, as it means fewer treatment options for people with type 1 diabetes,”
Earlier this year, Roche left the market and turned its patients over to Medtronic, and yesterday Animas announced a similar arrangement. “Patients using an Animas insulin pump will be offered the option to transfer to a Medtronic pump,” the statement said.
Johnson & Johnson had announced in January it was considering a sale of all its diabetes businesses, which include Animas and LifeScan, which makes blood glucose monitoring systems and a
While the statement said, “Johnson & Johnson is continuing to evaluate potential strategic options for LifeScan, Inc.,” Kimmel said Friday that for now, it’s “business as usual” for the company.
LifeScan, which has a partnership with WellDoc, creator the BlueStar technology to provide 24/7 coaching for people with T2D. Also, LifeScan is moving ahead with plans to expand its OneTouch Reveal app across several countries, including India, through the end of 2017, and to promote data-sharing relationships with physicians and managed care companies. Kimmel said a new population health venture with ExpressScripts is up and running.
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