from the taking-a-stab-at-something-new dept.
MarketWatch reports that Google's Life Sciences division, which will be separate from Google Inc. under Alphabet, is teaming up with Sanofi to work on new devices and treatments for diabetes:
Google Inc. said Monday its health-care-research unit agreed to work with European pharmaceutical major Sanofi SA on new ways to monitor and treat diabetes. The companies declined to say how much they are investing in the partnership.
Sanofi is a leading maker of diabetes medication, as well as many other drugs. Google's Life Sciences division is working on small, connected medical devices to continuously collect diabetes-related data, as well as software that learns from the information to find new treatments. Diabetes is expected to affect 592 million people world-wide by 2035, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
Diabetes affects around 382 million people worldwide today, so it is expected to increase by 55% over 20 years. More from Bloomberg:
Google last year agreed to work with Novartis to develop contact lenses that use tiny sensors to read blood-sugar levels from tears. Tests on that product will begin next year, Conrad said. This month, Google also said it would work with DexCom on a bandage-sized sensor connected to the cloud. Sanofi, the maker of Lantus, the world's best-selling insulin, will work on new ways of delivering the hormone, such as Bluetooth-enabled pens that let a physician monitor how much insulin their patient is using, and when.
"That's the system that we're endeavoring to build: smart insulin delivery devices, smart measurement devices, and an interface and an integrating platform that helps physicians and patients see how they're doing," said Conrad, whose division will be renamed in the coming months as a unit of Google's new holding company, Alphabet Inc.
As long as it's not a diabetes cure, that's a very attractive market.
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Google is now a wholly owned subsidiary of a new company called "Alphabet", to be run by Larry Page and Sergei Brin. Sundar Pichai will be CEO of Google, which will remain focused on its core of web-related products. Alphabet will serve as and umbrella for Google's now quite diverse projects, with a separate CEO for each. By way of example, the announcement cites a Life Sciences group, and a group called Calico which is focused on longevity.
All stock in Google will be converted to Alphabet stock, with the same rights and number of shares.
takyon: The Register, The New York Times, Wired, MarketWatch.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:29AM
Google will decide whether you deserve diabetes, and if you do, Google will give you diabetes. Enjoy.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:22AM
Google is the best ever corporation that has ever existed in history. All governments should be abolished and replaced by Google. Because the governments are bad, bro, but you can trust the Google.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:37AM
BAM Google just "partnered" with your healthcare insurer and lo... they are 'sharing data'! Because sharing is caring!
Expect rate hikes in your health plan in 3... 2... 1... because you just *look* like you could be developing diabetes soon...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:56AM
Ha! The joke's on you because I have no insurance.
(Score: 1) by jan_jes on Tuesday September 01 2015, @10:30AM
Google life science CEO, said that the new technologies are emerging to provide a more continuous and real-time view of a patient’s health. So there will more proactive and effective ways to control diabetes. Google together with Sanofi, believes diabetes management can be simpler and more convenient, which may help patients achieve an improved quality of life. Get more details from here [rtoz.org]
Today, Google also announced android wear to work with iPhones [rtoz.org]. This makes the Android Wear app connects your iPhone to your Android Wear watch. Thus many new features can be accessed right from your wrist. People who use this iOS app in their smartwatches said positive comments...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @01:05PM
Another way to constantly monitor people. Great. </sarcasm>
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:06PM
My med data is MINE. I been diabetic for 20yrs. I do not need Google stealing that information for sell me junk or push ads to my screens. My heathcare has written notice to NOT place my data on ANY internet facing sites or machines. Again, my data is MINE.
Will not use googles old tech router OnGoogle. or buy into their utopian universe of IoT - so not NEST or other home automation. Tried Google Chromecast, nice toy that is broken, cannot stream from wired machine on my home network to chromecast - NOT THE SAME CCSID. Did It not say wired?
Google is building toys not real world products.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:56PM
You are correct... but way too many people want TOYS and not real world solu... ohhhh.... shiny bobble!