A major international medical device maker is buying a U.S. mobile healthcare app developer for its mobile technology to monitor diabetes.
The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, has acquired mySugr GmbH. MySugr, which says it has more than one million users worldwide, and its mobile diabetes platforms will become a part of Roche’s new patient-centered digital health services platform in diabetes care, the company says.
The terms of the deal, including the purchase price, were not disclosed.
The acquisition allows Roche to expand its base in diabetes management, the company says. “We will be able to offer seamlessly accessible patient solutions within an open platform to better respond to the unmet needs of people with diabetes,” says Roche Diagnostics CEO Roland Diggelmann.
Founded in 2012, mySugr specializes in care for people with diabetes using apps and services that include diabetes coaching, therapy management, unlimited test-strips, automated data tracking and integration with various medical devices that monitor diabetes
The Roche Venture Fund was an early investor. MySugr has offices in San Diego and Vienna, Austria, with 47 employees across both locations. The mySugr App is available in 52 countries and 13 languages, the company says.
The mySugr Google and Apple apps integrate with medical devices manufactured by Roche, Medtronic and Abbott. The company’s mySugr Scanner app lets users instantly send blood glucose readings, while another app, mySugr Academy, offers educational content on Type 2 diabetes.
MySugr will remain a separate entity but affiliated with Roche Diabetes Care, Roche says. Roche Diabetes Care develops blood glucose monitoring systems and diabetes management systems and services. Roche’s core product line is Accu-Chek, which encompasses blood glucose meters, insulin delivery systems, lancing devices, data management systems and education programs.
Last year global sales for Roche grew 5.1% to $57.7 billion from $54.9 billion in 2015, but sales for its diabetes care business declined 4%. Roche did not release sales figures for diabetes care.