Freestyle Libre 2 to become real time continuous glucose monitor in UK from mid July 2023

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BadaBing

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Someone has posted on Facebook this morning that from mid-july 2023, and following a software update to Librelink, the Freestyle Libre 2 sensor will become a real time continuous glucose monitor giving minute-by-minute readings on a compatible smartphone.

Apparently, the updated Librelink will also allow glucose readings to be sent to compatible smartwatches (presumably without the need to use non-Abbott authorised third party apps).

Abbott should be communicating this to Libre 2 users over coming weeks.

MOD EDIT: ​
Combined thread about the app / upgrade errors is now here:​
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Sorry for everyone who is wrestling with this. What a nightmare for you!​
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(I will lock this thread now to try to keep the torrent of posts from bewildered people all in one place!)​
 
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What’s their source? There’s nothing in the Press Release/News sections on Abbott websites.
 
Robin said:
What’s their source? There’s nothing in the Press Release/News sections on Abbott websites.
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The individual who posted on Facebook has some connection with Abbott that most users of their products do not have. I do not know what that connection is.

I assume they have been given advance notice of the update by Abbott.

I agree, there have been no official nor press announcements yet, nor anything on the Internet.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
I've no information on this story, but it looks consistent with allowing Libre 2 in closed loop systems: https://abbott.mediaroom.com/2023-0...ation-with-Automated-Insulin-Delivery-Systems
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@Bruce Stephens please see my reply to @Robin.

I agree, it makes perfect sense to allow Libre 2 sensors to be part of the "mix" for hybrid closed loops.

But it does beg the question: what is the purpose now of the Freestyle Libre 3? Yes, it is smaller than the Libre 2, but even knowledgeable commentators have questioned whether it is genuinely significantly more accurate than the Libre 2 (I understand that the MARD testing for Libre 3 was done significantly differently from that done for Libre 2 or other competitor products).
 
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BadaBing said:
But it does beg the question: what is the purpose now of the Freestyle Libre 3?
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It does make it a bit less distinct. But as you say it's smaller and is packaged a bit differently (so the box is smaller) and I presume the earlier reports that it's cheaper to produce are correct. Probably we'll never quite know what's happening inside the division in Abbott making these decisions, but this one doesn't seem to me to be particularly surprising regardless of what their plans for Libre 3 are.

I wonder if it's just to address competition from Dexcom One? If I were in Abbott I'd want to do this: we know the sensors do this already so it basically involves getting changes to the software through the approvals processes so it's lowish cost, and makes Libre 2 an rtCGM without the Dexcom One transmitter complexity.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
It does make it a bit less distinct. But as you say it's smaller and is packaged a bit differently (so the box is smaller) and I presume the earlier reports that it's cheaper to produce are correct. Probably we'll never quite know what's happening inside the division in Abbott making these decisions, but this one doesn't seem to me to be particularly surprising regardless of what their plans for Libre 3 are.

I wonder if it's just to address competition from Dexcom One? If I were in Abbott I'd want to do this: we know the sensors do this already so it basically involves getting changes to the software through the approvals processes so it's lowish cost, and makes Libre 2 an rtCGM without the Dexcom One transmitter complexity.
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Aren’t Abbott and Dexcom suing and counter suing each other somewhere over patent infringements? I wondered if it has something to do with a work around that.
 
It was on the Libre FB page. I screen shot it. Sounds exciting.
 

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Robin said:
Aren’t Abbott and Dexcom suing and counter suing each other somewhere over patent infringements?
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Quite possibly, though I'm not sure how.
Robin said:
I wondered if it has something to do with a work around that.
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I wouldn't have thought so. If anything this would surely be an escalation? Unless there's some patent on using a phone to scan sensors (and they intend to remove that functionality) but that wouldn't make much sense since Abbott's the one who does this (so why would Dexcom have such a patent?).

If I had to guess, I'd guess this move is unrelated to the patent actions.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Quite possibly, though I'm not sure how.

I wouldn't have thought so. If anything this would surely be an escalation? Unless there's some patent on using a phone to scan sensors (and they intend to remove that functionality) but that wouldn't make much sense since Abbott's the one who does this (so why would Dexcom have such a patent?).

If I had to guess, I'd guess this move is unrelated to the patent actions.
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I haven’t got the time or the brain power to get my head round all the litigation going on! There are 12 patents at issue, apparently, some on each side, and Dexcom have already obtained an injunction in Germany, There also seem to be a flurry of cases in various US states.
I found this article relating to the U.K. litigation, which is ongoing, which suggests that the German injunction may have affected Abbott's ability to roll out Libre 3 here, although this now seems to have been resolved.
A lot of the case reports are behind paywalls, but I did find reference to a hearing in the U.k. scheduled for July.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
It does make it a bit less distinct. But as you say it's smaller and is packaged a bit differently (so the box is smaller) and I presume the earlier reports that it's cheaper to produce are correct. Probably we'll never quite know what's happening inside the division in Abbott making these decisions, but this one doesn't seem to me to be particularly surprising regardless of what their plans for Libre 3 are.

I wonder if it's just to address competition from Dexcom One? If I were in Abbott I'd want to do this: we know the sensors do this already so it basically involves getting changes to the software through the approvals processes so it's lowish cost, and makes Libre 2 an rtCGM without the Dexcom One transmitter complexity.
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Oh, it's definitely to address concerns Abbott must have about future sales when the Dexcom One was put on general prescription.

From an environmental perspective, I would prefer a smaller "all-in-one" product like the Libre 3 or Dexcom G7. It's a no-brainer from a "be kind to our planet" viewpoint.
 
Robin said:
Aren’t Abbott and Dexcom suing and counter suing each other somewhere over patent infringements? I wondered if it has something to do with a work around that.
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Yes they are, in Germany, the UK and USA. A first instance decision in the UK proceedings should be issued at some point in late summer/autumn.

Of course, if the initial decision is appealed all the way to the UK Supreme Court, a final UK Supreme Court judgment on the patents being litigated by Abbott and Dexcom may not happen until 2024/25.

The litigation in Germany was a contributing factor why diabetics in Germany who were using the Libre 2 were moved to the Libre 3.
 
Robin said:
I haven’t got the time or the brain power to get my head round all the litigation going on! There are 12 patents at issue, apparently, some on each side, and Dexcom have already obtained an injunction in Germany, There also seem to be a flurry of cases in various US states.
I found this article relating to the U.K. litigation, which is ongoing, which suggests that the German injunction may have affected Abbott's ability to roll out Libre 3 here, although this now seems to have been resolved.
A lot of the case reports are behind paywalls, but I did find reference to a hearing in the U.k. scheduled for July.
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Blimey. That's the first I'd heard of litigation. I guess there's an awful lot of money to be made.
 
Robin said:
I found this article relating to the U.K. litigation, which is ongoing, which suggests that the German injunction may have affected Abbott's ability to roll out Libre 3 here, although this now seems to have been resolved.
Click to expand...
I guess the resolution might have allowed this change to Libre 2/LibreLink.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Quite possibly, though I'm not sure how.

I wouldn't have thought so. If anything this would surely be an escalation? Unless there's some patent on using a phone to scan sensors (and they intend to remove that functionality) but that wouldn't make much sense since Abbott's the one who does this (so why would Dexcom have such a patent?).

If I had to guess, I'd guess this move is unrelated to the patent actions.
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Until 2020/21 Dexcom and Abbott had an agreement whereby they agreed to cross-license the respective technology in their respective glucose monitoring sensors for which they have patents.

The relationship between the parties broke down in 2020/21 and the litigation began.

It is quite common that someone may have obtained monopoly protection via a patent for something "novel" or "inventive" which means that someone else cannot make something identical nor similar without infringing the first person's patent(s).

Of course, this assumes the first person to patent their product has valid patent(s) in the first place, which is one of the issues the courts will decide (unless the parties reach a settlement in the meantime to the various disputes).
 
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FWIW, Abbott's commentary on Dexcom patent litigation from its latest annual 10K filing in the US:

In June and July 2021, DexCom, Inc. (DexCom) initiated patent infringement litigation against Abbott over certain of Abbott's continuous glucose monitoring products, including those under the FreeStyle brand, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and in the Regional Court of Mannheim in Germany. In both jurisdictions, DexCom seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages. In all cases, Abbott asserts that it has a license to each of Dexcom' s asserted patents and that the patents are invalid and not infringed. In July 2021, Abbott sued DexCom for patent infringement over certain of DexCom's continuous glucose monitoring products in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, the Regional Courts of Mannheim and Dusseldorf in Germany, and the High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom. Abbott seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages. In December 2021, Abbott filed a breach of contract suit against DexCom in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that DexCom breached the parties' 2014 Settlement and License Agreement by asserting infringement of patents against Abbott that DexCom previously licensed to Abbott. In the U.S., DexCom’s patent infringement case is stayed pending resolution of Abbott’s breach of license case, which is currently set for trial on July 10, 2023. Abbott’s U.S. patent infringement trial against DexCom is currently scheduled for October 23, 2023.

Normal corporate games ...
 
If they are doing this (libre 2 to become cgm) whilst it makes sense I don’t like their way of revealing it.

Why send the info to one person for him to post on Facebook. I know he has inside links to abbot but I’m not fond of companies doing this. Either give everyone the information, publically at the same time, or just roll it out. But don’t tell one person and ask them to spread the rumour whilst publishing no info so others can check that the information given is correct.
 
Lucyr said:
If they are doing this (libre 2 to become cgm) whilst it makes sense I don’t like their way of revealing it.
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It may not have been authorised by Abbott, we don’t know who has leaked it. Can’t imagine it’s a current employee, though, if they want to keep their job!
 
Robin said:
It may not have been authorised by Abbott, we don’t know who has leaked it. Can’t imagine it’s a current employee, though, if they want to keep their job!
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I’m on the Facebook group and can see who has shared it (Nick) and that Abbot have asked him to say specific things eg that it’s not yet available and not to call Abbot about it.
 
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