What happens if you are involved in a road accident with no one else around? Should you be equipped with the latest smart wearable like the Apple Watch Series 8 / Ultra, rescue is likely to arrive in time. The watch is able to detect a hard collision, initiate emergency services, and provide search radius if the user is not responsive within 20 seconds. Apart from life-and-death situations, the watch comes with many other new health features, including ovulation tracking for females by monitoring body temperature changes over the course of the menstrual cycle.
New connected devices match consumers’ demand for convenience with their increasing focus on well-being & health. For diabetic patients or people at risk of the disease, health monitoring functions in wearables can really make a difference between life and death. Gone are the days of pricking fingers at set intervals throughout the day. Instead, by inserting a small sensor under your skin with a transmitter that sends real-time data wirelessly, continuous glucose monitoring becomes a breeze. By connecting the sensor to a smartphone/watch, patients can monitor their glucose levels and receive alerts anywhere at any time.
As wearables become more integrated into our daily lives, 5G plays a crucial role thanks to its low latency and high speeds. With 5G connectivity, wearables will be able to compute more, require less charging and deliver more features. The global 5G in healthcare market size is expected to grow to US$80 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35% from 2021 to 2030. We believe wearable medical device manufacturers will benefit from this trend. Dexcom, a U.S. company that develops and produces continuous glucose monitoring systems, would be a key beneficiary given its leading position and rising prevalence of diabetes.
Dexcom
Your Glucose Numbers, Anytime, Anywhere
Based in San Diego, DexCom produces innovative continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGM) for diabetes management. Its flagship product is an all-in-one wearable device used by diabetes patients to keep track of blood sugar levels. The device works by implanting a sensor just under the skin to monitor levels on a continual basis, and has been a game changer as they have eliminated the need for painful finger pricks or burdensome scanning. Real-time glucose readings are sent to smart devices, and can be shared with as many as 10 people to ensure loved ones or caretakers can monitor and be alerted in case of an emergency.
Diabetes is a growing problem worldwide. 537m adults are affected, and this number is expected to rise by 643m by 2030 according to the International Diabetes Foundation. Dexcom works closely with some of the best-in-class companies to develop new treatment platforms and more customizable and convenient treatment options. This includes Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Garmin, software and analytics companies, as well as Tandem Diabetes Care which has integrated Dexcom’s monitoring systems into their insulin pumps.
We are positive about the long-term opportunity in the global CGM market and Dexcom’s position as part of the world’s largest connected CGM ecosystem. The company’s latest generation G7 CGM system boasts the shortest sensor warmup time in the market at only 30 minutes, and is 60% smaller than the previous generation. We see a long growth runway for CGM penetration with improved product form factors and integration with insulin dosing devices that will help their customers live their lives to the fullest.
