Its become a punchline in the tech industry that every start-up is out to change the world. When it comes to medical technology, however, some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley are poised to do just that.

Apple, Google and Amazon have announced or are reported to be developing cutting-edge technologies for managing diabetes, one of the fastest-growing chronic illnesses, affecting more than 420 million people worldwide.

Experts say were at the dawn of a new era of personal technology for a variety of chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.

It really isnt a surprise youd see companies like Apple and Google focusing on this, said Mike Matson, a senior analyst at the investment firm Needham & Co. Theyre always looking for new opportunities for growth and healthcare is a big market.

Managing a chronic condition can depend on easy access to data, he said. If youre a Google or Apple, you know how to manage data.

The latest diabetes-related tech endeavor to be announced is the Alexa Diabetes Challenge, which focuses on finding ways for the Amazon Echo smart speaker and its Alexa digital assistant to assist people with Type 2 diabetes in living healthier lives.

Type 2 is by far the most common form of diabetes, frequently associated with obesity. Roughly 95% of the nearly 30 million Americans with diabetes are Type 2.

The Alexa challenge features a $125,000 grand prize for whoever comes up with the best diabetes app for the Amazon Echo, as well as $25,000 each for up to five finalists. Funding is being provided by the drug company Merck, manufacturer of the Type 2 meds Januvia and Janumet.

Not surprisingly for the tech industry, the contest boasts a very fast pace. It was announced in April. The deadline for submissions was last month. Finalists will be announced in July. Demos of selected apps will be conducted in September and a grand prize winner will be announced in October.

Its thus entirely possible that people with diabetes may be using some of these apps by the end of the year. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment.

Theres so much information for diabetes management available, said Sara Holoubek, chief executive of Luminary Labs, a New York consulting firm thats organizing the Alexa Diabetes Challenge on behalf of Merck and Amazon. So why is it still so hard to get that information? Maybe we can change that.

Alexas voice control is the key. Whereas someone newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes might not know where to start in researching and managing the disease, being able to ask Alexa basic questions may help get people on the right track.

What can I eat? How much exercise should I get? Holoubek said, citing some of the unknowns that suddenly arise with a diabetes diagnosis. Normally youd ask your endocrinologist or diabetes educator. Alexa could be like having an educator in your home.

But thats just a start. Holoubek said Merck and Amazon envision a networked household that incorporates various smart devices. For example, a person with Type 2 diabetes might weigh himself on a smart scale, which would transmit data to the Echo. The persons blood-glucose monitor would do likewise.

Now imagine if the person asks Alexa if it would be OK to eat some potato chips. Alexa theoretically would be able to calculate the effect this could have on his or her blood sugar. The system would be able to suggest how much activity would be needed to balance things out or, better still, come up with a more healthful snack.

I have Type 1 diabetes the autoimmune form that requires daily insulin injections and managing the disease is a full-time job. I already have some very cool gizmos. I wear a glucose sensor on my torso that sends data to my iPhone, which in turn feeds my blood sugar level to my Pebble smartwatch for easy viewing.

I have an Amazon Echo at home. It would be awesome if I could simply ask Alexa what my blood sugar is if Im puttering around the house without my watch on, or if Im in any danger of my sugar level crashing.

How great would it be if I could ask Alexa how many carbs are in a plate of spaghetti carbonara? Or even have Alexa calculate my insulin dose before a meal?

To be sure, theres much testing to be done and federal approvals to be obtained before such systems are handling anything like that. But the Alexa Diabetes Challenge offers a clear indication that the tech industry is pushing boundaries.

Apple reportedly is busy on this front as well, but, as usual, the company is keeping its cards close to the vest.

According to recent, anonymously sourced reports, Apple is devoting significant resources, and big bucks, to giving its Apple Watch the ability to monitor blood sugar without a sensor being inserted under the skin (such as the one I use).

Others have tried and failed to accomplish this feat, so if Apple can pull it off, this would represent a huge breakthrough in diabetes care.

The company reportedly has dozens of biomedical researchers trying to measure blood sugar using optical sensors, perhaps implanted within the band of the Apple Watch. The sensors would shine a light through the skin that would provide readings in a painless, noninvasive fashion.

CNBC reported last month that Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook was spotted wearing a prototype glucose-tracker with his Apple Watch. As best as I can tell, Cook doesnt have diabetes, so hes apparently been using himself as a guinea pig to see how well his companys technology responds to different foods he eats.

No one at Apple got back to me.

For its part, Googles parent company, Alphabet, announced last year that its life-sciences subsidiary, Verily, was partnering with the French drug company Sanofi on a $500-million joint venture aimed at improving diabetes care. Verily has a separate partnership with the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline.

Among the various technologies Verily is pursuing is a smart contact lens that would monitor blood sugar levels. Its being developed in conjunction with the Swiss drug company Novartis.

Like Apple and Amazon, Google clammed up when I got in touch.

Follow this link:
'Alexa, what's my blood sugar level and how much insulin should I take?' - Los Angeles Times

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High blood glucose levels can be harmful to the mother and unborn baby, and can raise the babys risk for excessive birth weight, preterm birth, and type 2 diabetes later in life. In contrast, cold temperatures are believed to improve the bodys ability to produce insulin.

Dr. William Holcomb, OB/GYN at SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital says this study is no reason for alarm, they should focus on the more serious risks for developing gestational diabetes which are body weight and family history. There's not much you can do about the ambient temperature, I wouldn't invest a bit of worry in that, what I would focus on is, Do I have a good diet and am I exercising regularly, and am I taking good care of myself.

Its recommended that pregnant women avoid prolonged outdoor activity during hot summer months, remain in an air-conditioned environment, and dress in cool clothing. Other strategies women can follow to protect themselves from gestational diabetes include maintaining a healthy body weight before conception, avoiding excess weight gain during pregnancy, consuming a healthy diet and staying physically active. These strategies are especially important for women who have existing risk factors for gestational diabetes, family history of type 2 diabetes, or have had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy. They are encouraged to consult with their physician about their individual risk factors.

To find out more about gestational diabetes, click here.

Link:
SSM Health Medical Minute: Gestational Diabetes is linked to ... - fox2now.com

Eli Lilly is paying $55 million upfront for the rights to KeyBiosciences pipeline of treatments for Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions. The agreement gives Lilly the global rights to phase 2 synthetic peptide dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist KBP-042 and other programs.

Lilly is handing over $55 million upfront and committing to an undisclosed amount of milestones for the rights to KBP-042 and follow-up assets. The earlier-stage assets have advanced no further than phase 1. KeyBioscience designed these drugs, which include BP-089 and KBP-056, to have the same broad mechanism of action as KBP-042 but deliver different effects or potency because of changes totheir engineering.

KeyBioscience has high hopes for the mechanism of action.

"We are extremely excited about the promise of this new mechanism, which could potentially improve insulin sensitivity, reduce weight and improve blood glucose control," KeyBioscience chairman Morten Karsdal said in a statement.

The range of improvements targeted by KeyBioscience reflects its assets dual targets. Amylin is the target of AstraZenecas Symlin, a drug research has linked to reductions in insulin-induced weight gain and the regulation of glucose excursions after eating. Calcitonin is less well established as a target of metabolic disease drugs but KeyBioscience has preclinical data to back up its belief in the dual agonist approach.

The novel dual agonist approach could give Lilly an edge over its rivals in the fierce fight for the diabetes market. Lillys competitors are also working on drugs that help diabetics manage multiple aspects of the disease and their comorbidities. Sanofi, for example, penned a deal worth up to 250 million ($281 million) with Exscientia last month to develop bispecific small molecules. These molecules could manage glucose levels while also helping patients to control their weight.

KeyBioscience has similar aspirations for its assets. The biotech was created by Danish CRO Nordic Bioscience to develop a family of metabolic peptides. Since then, it has generated preclinical data and pushed its lead candidate into phase 2 while also working with Enteris BioPharma on oral formulations of its peptide pipeline candidates.

That platform enabled KeyBioscience to attract the interest of Lilly. KBP-042 will slot into Lillys mid-phase diabetes pipeline alongside ultra-rapid insulin prospect LY900014.

Follow this link:
Lilly pays $55M for rights to KeyBioscience's diabetes assets - FierceBiotech

Diabetes walk and health fair this Saturday.

By RICK CURL

Of The Record Staff

Theres no doubt one of the great medical issues plaguing, not only the United States, but the world, is diabetes.

It affects all ages, all races and both genders without discretion and sometimes with a reckless abandon that few can truly understand.

Whether its cause is born into its victim or the disease is borne of patients neglecting themselves, the disease had grimly risen to the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States by 2010.

In order to raise awareness, Blessing Box Ministry is conducting a Diabetes Walk and Health Fair Saturday at Dr. P.K. Vyas Park in Benson. The event will include a 3K walk and several vendors, as well as a car show.

The walk will get under way at 10:30 a.m. and judging for the car show will end at 1:30 p.m.

There is an entry fee of $25 per car and a prize will be awarded to the winner.

The walk and health fair is created to bring awareness to the community and part of the proceeds will go to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in the name of a Four Oaks youth.

There are two distinct types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. The words that describe the two diseases are simple enough. Yet, they are a disease with different roots.

According to the ADA, Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. Previously known as juvenile diabetes, only about 5 percent of people with the disease have this form.

It comes about when the body doesnt produce insulin the hormone excreted from the pancreas that gets metabolized sugars from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.

Type 2, which is the most common, is when the body doesnt use insulin properly and causes blood sugar levels to rise higher than normal.

The most severe Type 1 is also the one that strikes the most innocent of victims.

One of those is 7-year-old Zion Alexander Hawkins of Four Oaks. He was diagnosed See Diabetes, Page 3

Daily Record Photo/Rick Curl

To raise awareness for diabetes and the American Diabetes Association there will be a 3K Walk and Health Fair in Benson on Saturday starting with the walk at 10:30 a.m. One of the inspirations for the event is the story of 7-year-old Zion Alexander Hawkins of Four Oaks.

Continued From Page One

with the disease last October when he slipped into a diabetic coma.

Its been rough, his mother Shilinda said. We dont hardly get any sleep. Hes a little more angrier.

She says Zion began the process of learning how to deal with the disease and realizes the situation hes facing.

He passes out sometimes at school because his sugar drops too low, she said. He wants to eat everything. He understands he has diabetes, but hes still a child and still wants all that stuff.

The effects on the body of a diabetic can cause them to go from one extreme to the other within a days time.

Mood Swings

In the morning hes very tired, it took him a long time to get adjusted, Ms. Hawkins said. Then in the afternoon, hes very hyper. But, his sugar will be way up.

Like others, he also is faced with the task of taking insulin shots. In Zions case its four times a day.

At night he gets a set dose of long-acting insulin and during the day his shots are short-acting based on a sliding scale determined by his blood sugar levels at meal time.

We try very hard to make sure he takes it, Ms. Hawkins said. Hes getting used to checking himself.

Hes also starting to learn his body and how to react.

Hell remind us its time for his insulin or hell say, Mom Im feeling kind of light headed and such, she said. Its just something to get adjusted to.

Because of his age, Zion is faced with controlling his blood sugar with the help of others.

I still give them to him, Ms. Hawkins said of the shots. Were trying to get him on the pump. I think it would be better.

According to the ADA, insulin pumps are computerized devices that deliver insulin in two ways in a steady measured and continuous dose (the basal insulin) and as a surge or bolus dose at the direction of the user around mealtime.

Doses are delivered through a flexible plastic tube with a small needle attached that is inserted through the skin into the fatty tissue and is then taped in place.

But, until Ms. Hawkins gets the approvals from her insurance and gets the doctors approval which she expects to happen soon Zion will continue to face the every day tasks of being a diabetic who uses injections.

Trips To School

Ms. Hawkins has often had to leave her job after getting calls from the school nurse it seems like a daily trip for her.

I think the school gives him too much insulin, Ms. Hawkins said. Theyll text me and tell me theyve given him seven units of insulin or eight.

Which is a larger dose than hes received at home.

Ive never given him that much, she said. The most Ive given him of the (short-acting) is five units.

At one point Ms. Hawkins got word Zion had been victim of a diabetic episode and became unresponsive.

Its very scary, she said. I dont get a lot of sleep, I probably dont go to sleep until 3 oclock in the morning trying to make sure hes OK.

Making his situation more difficult is his battle with ADHD and OCD. The problem is adjusting his medications to keep his diabetes in check.

Its kind of hard to maintain those, she said. Then with him having diabetes, theyre trying to find medication that wont affect his diabetes.

There are both ups and downs for his mother and family as well. Ms. Hawkins has a stable and solid support system from her family, but theres still those thoughts that linger.

The easiest part is Ive got a lot of help, she said. The hardest part is knowing that he has diabetes and it will be with him the rest of his life.

Ms. Hawkins faces many possibilities when it comes to Zion, many that families not touched by the disease face.

He can be asleep and his blood sugar will drop down real low and Ill not know it, she said. Or he can slip into a coma like he did the first time.

Diagnosis

Speaking of the terrifying time last year when doctors put all of the pieces together, Ms. Hawkins said the coma was the final piece of the puzzle.

He had surgery back in September when he had problems urinating, Ms. Hawkins said. So they did surgery and when we went back to get a check up they told us it was coming from his kidneys.

From there it was another couple of weeks when he began falling into the nightmare that all diabetics face. He just got real drowsy, Ms. Hawkins said. I didnt know what was going on. I didnt know if he just wasnt feeling good or not wanting to go to school.

A short time later he went into the diabetic coma that changed his and his familys lives.

After waking up from the coma about a week later, Zion was worried about getting into trouble.

When he woke up out of the coma he said we were going to be real mad at him for this, she said. I told him, no, we werent, then he wanted to eat everything. He was so hungry because hed been in a coma for week.

She said it took a little while for him to realize the gravity of the situation.

He didnt understand at first, but now hes understanding, Ms. Hawkins said. Hell ask me, Mom, can I eat this and take my insulin and I cant tell him no because hes still a child.

People who have never been exposed to diabetics often dont realize whats good and whats not and one of the biggest culprits of trouble is fruit.

Because of the natural sugars in them, it makes eating fruit tricky.

He loves fruits, she said. And thats the hardest thing to take away from him because hes a fruit baby.

Ms. Hawkins is also in the learning stage herself, trying to keep all the things she needs to focus on in perspective.

I knew about diabetes, but I never knew how serious it was until it hit him, she said. So, by him having it, I try to keep myself taken care of too. If it popped up on him, it might pop up on me too.

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Living With Type 1 Diabetes - The Daily Record (registration)

One in three adults has pre-diabetes, and one in 10 of those adults dont know they are at risk.

It makes sense that health care providers and their patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes are continuously looking for further education instruction.

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Bell County Diabetes Coalition working on plan - Temple Daily Telegram

This August, Stephanie and Michael Honig of Honig Vineyard and Winery will host a special party on their property in Rutherford to raise money for a nonprofit diabetes organization called Beyond Type 1.

The party at Honig is just one stop on an epic, 10-week adventure for Team Bike Beyond, a cycling team composed of 20 international riders living with Type 1 diabetes. As they pedal their way from New York City to San Francisco, they will spread the word about Type 1 while showing the world what it means to live Beyond Type 1.

The event at Honig Vineyard and Wineryon Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. will raise money and awareness for Type 1 Diabetes.

Musician Nick Jonas, Juliet de Baubigny, Sarah Lucas and Sam Talbot founded Beyond Type 1 in 2015, and 100 percent of every dollar raised directly supports the most promising global efforts and programs working to educate, advocate and cure Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1, which affects more than 420 million people globally, is an autoimmune disease that can happen to anyone, can present at any age, and is not related to diet or lifestyle. The Honigs oldest daughter, Sophia, who recently turned 10, was diagnosed with Type 1 at the age of 5, changing the family dynamic forever.

No parent should ever be told that their child has a life- threatening, incurable disease. We will continue to do everything in our power until a cure is found, said Stephanie Honig.

Rep. Mike Thompson said, The Honigs have been tireless advocates for Sophia and the millions of other children and families living with Type 1 diabetes. Their efforts are more important than ever as federal funding for medical research comes under attack.

On the afternoon of the event, the Napa County Sheriffs Office, along with county officials, will escort and welcome the 20 bike riders into Napa County.

There are 11 restaurants hosting food stations: Brasswood, Brix Restaurant, Charlie Palmer, The Cliff Familys Bruschetteria, Crisp Kitchen and Juice, Elaine Bell Catering, Heritage Eats, Model Bakery, Mustards Grill, Oakville Grocery and Prabh Indian Kitchen.

Wine will be provided by Honig Vineyard and Winery, Beran, Dutch Henry, Jordan, Luna, St. Supery and Vineyard 29, with cocktails from Charbay. Music for the event will be provided by Groovetronix Productions. Classic Party Rentals is donating all of the party equipment, furnishing and supplies.

Sponsors of this event include Darioush, Trinchero Family Estates, Breakthrough Beverage Group, Chuck Wagner from Caymus Family Wines, David Drucker from Empire Merchants, St Helena Hospital, The Rudd Foundation, American AgCredit, Jelly Belly Candy Company, Jamie Kurtzig and Family, Nomacorc/Vinventions.

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Honig family planning diabetes fundraiser - Napa Valley Register

Innovation in diabetes seems to have reached a plateau, with recently launched drugs focusing on combinations and quick- or extended-action formulations. Sanofi's (NYSE:SNY) recent collaboration with private UK group Exscientia is taking drug discovery in a different direction - identifying bispecific small molecules that could work on multiple novel and known pathways.

The collaborators are taking the view that diabetes is not a standalone disorder, with accompanying conditions such as heart disease or obesity offering an opportunity to target mechanisms that work in conjunction with blood-sugar modulation. "We wanted to think about the next generation of diabetes treatment, not just about new pathways - but not just doing fixed dose combinations, and using a single molecule," Exscientia's chief executive Andrew Hopkins tells EP Vantage.

Finding faster

The deal, valued at a total of 250m ($280m), will see Exscientia identifying potential candidate molecules based on chemical compatibility and biological relevance, with research funding provided by Sanofi. The pharma giant will conduct assays, preclinical experiments and clinical trials upon exercise of a licence option on specific molecules.

Exscientia says its artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery platform allows for candidate generation in roughly a quarter of the time of traditional approaches. That will come in handy for Sanofi, for which 2017 will be the last year at the top of the diabetes heap as its long-acting insulin Lantus succumbs to generic competition.

The French group has sought to remain a player, in-licensing agents from Lexicon and Hanmi, though with the exception of a type 1 diabetes vaccine most of its collaborations have involved candidates in classes with well-established competition.

Thus the Exscientia deal represents a strategic shift of sorts, embracing small molecules and novel approaches to treating the condition, and taking a broader view that diabetes is one of a "cluster of morbidities", Mr Hopkins says.

"This potentially opens up ways of segmenting the market and coming up with medicine for these potential comorbidity options," he says. "It fits into the emergent thinking within both companies."

Obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are two comorbidities Mr. Hopkins names, but of course cardiovascular and kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and retinopathy are all complications of diabetes.

As for targets, some may be novel and some well-known, he says: "For some of the innovative targets that have come along and potentially have not shown as much efficacy as one would like, bootstrapping them with a validated target is an approach."

Immuno-oncology

Sanofi is the first big pharma name to show interest in Exscientia's work, but it is not the private group's first collaboration. Exscientia already handed over to Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma one bispecific molecule that selectively activates two G protein-coupled receptors from two distinct families in central nervous system disorders.

And it is working with Evotec on bispecific small molecules focusing on cancer-related adenosine targets with a role in immuno-oncology. At the AACR meeting in April, the partners presented early data on an agent that can antagonise adenosine 2A and CD73.

In oncology, Mr Hopkins believes that small molecule bispecifics might offer a cost-effective alternative to, for example, checkpoint inhibition antibodies used in combination with chemotherapies or other treatment approaches, or emerging cell and gene-based therapies.

Exscientia is now owned by its founders and staff, and has funded expansion through its collaborations, which has also allowed it to measure the productivity of the drug discovery platform. Future expansions, of course, are likely to involve outside investors, although Mr Hopkins declines to give details about when strategic decisions will be made.

Being in the sweet spot of immuno-oncology gives Exscientia a good chance of getting investors to listen to its story. A big pharma partner in Sanofi cannot hurt either. Delivering a couple more clinical candidates quickly to validate the speed of its discovery platform will make Exscientia hard for investors to ignore.

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Exscientia Takes Single Molecules To Multiple Pathways In Diabetes - Seeking Alpha