While many people looking to keep tabs on their blood sugar have had to juggle multiple test strips and lancets throughout the day, Intuity Medical aims to combine those diabetes testing supplies into a single device.
The company has launched its Pogo Automatic monitoring system following years of development, with an FDA-cleared blood glucose reader equipped with cartridges that provide up to 10 fingerstick tests with the quick push of a button.
Though not as frequent a gauge as continuous glucose monitoring systems, which require wearable sensors to be embedded under the skin, the over-the-counter Pogo device is meant as a simpler alternative to more widely used manual tests.
“It can be done discreetly within seconds, virtually anywhere a user chooses, whether it’s at a table in a restaurant, while commuting to work on a train, or when exercising at the gym,” Intuity President and CEO Emory Anderson said in a statement.
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“For people with diabetes, routine blood glucose monitoring is central to the management of their diabetes,” Anderson said. “Yet for many, the barriers that come with using traditional blood glucose meters often prevent people from testing regularly.”
For use by adults and adolescents ages 13 and up, the Pogo built its lancet and blood collection hardware into a single button on the face of the device. Inside, a carousel-like cartridge rotates to provide clean testing hardware for each use. Results are available in seconds, with blood sugar levels displayed on a screen and wirelessly synced to the company’s smartphone app.
According to Intutity, the Pogo is available for purchase online—with 50 tests costing $32, and the reusable meter for $68—as well as at Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy stores through an ongoing, nationwide rollout slated to expand over the coming months.