Two companies, giants in their own fields, have joined forces to spin off a new venture to help diabetics manage their disease and enjoy improved quality of life. French pharmaceutical company Sanofi and Verily Life Sciences, the health services division of Alphabet Inc. (formerly Google) teamed up to create a comprehensive approach to diabetes management with a new company called Onduo. Sanofi brings clinical experience and diabetes medication expertise to Onduo. Sanofi produces several versions of insulin. Verily contributes experience with miniaturized electronics, consumer software development, and analytics to the new venture.
The overall plan encompasses three stages. First, Onduo plans to combine devices, medication, software, and medical care strategies to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their disease. The group will also focus on lifestyle changes for patients to improve their overall health. The second phase in Onduo’s mission will involve helping patients with type 1 diabetes with ongoing disease management. The third challenge will be working with people at risk of developing diabetes, trying to help them hold off or prevent the disease from starting. The worldwide diabetes epidemic and the threat of further expansion from sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition choices mean there will be no shortage of challenges and people to help.
Sanofi and Verily are each contributing the equivalent of $250 million dollars to Onduo. Initial collaborations with Sutter Health in northern California and Allegheny Health Network in western Pennsylvania will enable Onduo to test its emerging care platform in clinical settings. In addition, Onduo has reached out to the Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) patient advocacy group and will be connecting with other diabetes groups for input on future products and programs.
The immensity of the threat of diabetes to the world’s population calls for equally large efforts to cope with the disease and explore possibilities of reducing the risk. Onduo’s resources and comprehensive approach to disease management and prevention may be the best chance yet of tackling the threat.
