Dexcom launches Stelo, its first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor

Dexcom on Monday was announced Its new over-the-counter Stelo continuous glucose monitor is officially available for purchase in the US

Glucose is a type of sugar that people get from food and is the body’s main source of energy. Continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, are small sensors that penetrate the skin to measure glucose levels in real time. They are commonly prescribed to diabetes patients as they can help alert users, their loved ones and their doctors of emergencies.

Stelo is mainly intended for patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin, although people without either condition can also buy it. Users can purchase a one-month supply online for $99 or sign up for an ongoing subscription for $89 per month.

Dexcom said patients also have the option of using their flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts to pay for Stelo, according to a statement.

The company already offers continuous glucose monitors for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but the Stelo is Dexcom’s first non-prescription product. While most Type 1 patients can already get insurance coverage for the sensors, Stelo is now accessible to millions of Type 2 patients who have been unable to get prescriptions or coverage. It also marks the company’s official foray into a new and potentially lucrative prediabetes market.

Dexcom said there are more than 125 million Americans with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin, according to a statement. The company designed Stelo to help teach this patient population how to keep glucose levels in a healthy range.

“The idea is to help people, over time, learn about food choices and habits and how they affect glucose,” Dexcom CEO Jake Leach said in an interview with CNBC. “It’s about uncovering things you’ve never seen before and then using them to create healthier habits.”

How it works

The US Food and Drug Administration approved Stelo in March. It was the first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor available for use, although competitor Dexcom, Abbottreceived a license for two similar devices in June.

Leach said Dexcom is cooperating Amazon to fulfill the Stelo deliveries. Subscribers can choose to skip or adjust their delivery date, but it will usually be scheduled within 30 days of their original signup.

The Stelo is worn on the upper arm and lasts for 15 days before needing replacement. It is gray, about the size of a quarter and about half an inch thick.

The sensor wirelessly transmits data to a smartphone app. When users start the setup, they’ll choose whether they have type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, or none of the above. This helps create the “Target Range” where Dexcom wants users to try to maintain their glucose levels. The target range is based on established medical standards, and most people fall between 70 and 180 milligrams per deciliter, according to American Diabetes Association.

When they open the Stelo home page, they’ll see their latest reading, which is updated every 15 minutes. They’ll also see a graph of their readings each day, which includes a shaded green area to indicate the target range. If they scroll down, they’ll see a summary of time spent in the target range over time.

Everyone’s glucose levels are variable, but Stelo will send users an alert when they experience a significant spike. Glucose spikes occur when the amount of sugar in the bloodstream rises rapidly and then falls. This often happens after eating.

In the short term, spikes can cause feelings of fatigue, but high glucose levels can lead to more serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease over time. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why Dexcom wants users to try to keep their levels within Stelo’s target range.

The tab next to the home page is the Events page, where Stelo users can record meals, activities, thumbs up, or other notes. Leach said it’s very important for users to take stock when they’re dealing with a major acne breakout so they can think about what might be causing it.

Stelo alerts users to notable spikes, so they won’t necessarily be notified every time their levels rise. Leach said this is a deliberate design choice meant to draw attention to the larger swings that patients experience.

“Even for someone who has normal glucose and the occasional spike, they’re going to look for the most impactful spikes and then try to draw the user around, ‘Okay, what happened there?’ he said.

And for users who want to dig deeper into their glucose and understand what’s causing the spikes, there’s a wealth of educational material in the app’s Learn tab. The articles are short, sometimes just a few sentences, and broken down into categories such as Stelo Basics, Glucose Deep Dive, Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, and Stress.

CNBC Stelo Tests

I have been testing the Stelo since the beginning of August. Overall, I think it was easy and useful to use.

When my monitors arrived in the mail, the first order of business was to apply the sensor to my hand and pair it with the Stelo app. I found this process very simple – the app guided me through what to do with clear, step-by-step instructions.

I cleaned the back of my right arm, placed the Dexcom applicator there, pressed the button, and turned on the CGM. It’s done quickly and doesn’t hurt at all.

The display connects to the Stelo app via Bluetooth and then takes about half an hour to warm up.

This is where I initially ran into some problems. Once my device had warmed up I got an error message saying “Short sensor problem”. The message told me not to take the CGM off and that the issue was temporary. I left it on for the whole day, but by evening, I noticed slight bleeding. I decided to take this sensor out.

I applied another CGM to my other arm, and it warmed up and worked properly. I’ve been wearing it ever since and haven’t had any issues with bleeding. Leach said if users have problems with the product, they can message the chat interface on Stelo’s website to get a replacement or have their questions answered there.

Once I started running with my second sensor it was smooth sailing.

I found the Stelo app simple and easy to use. I never felt like I was overloaded with too much data or too many notifications and logging meals and exercise is very simple. Users can also choose to import their sleep and activity data from the Apple Health app or the Android Health Connect app, which I think is a nice touch.

If this is your first time using a CGM, I definitely recommend reading the articles under the “Learn” tab. I think Dexcom does a good job of using simple language to explain what glucose is, what affects it, and why it matters.

The more I wear the sensor, the more I can tell the algorithm is tuning in to me and my habits. I don’t get alerts every time my glucose spikes, but it does alert me when I experience a particularly significant spike. The app also starts detecting my patterns. For example, he recently told me that my glucose tends to spike between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., which is usually when I eat dinner.

Most of the time, I forget I’m wearing a sensor. It’s waterproof so I didn’t have to worry about it in the shower. And I didn’t notice it when I was sleeping. I would recommend some caution when pulling on long sleeves as the sensor can stick a bit, but it’s easy to wear all kinds of clothes and jackets over it.

In the short time I’ve been using Stelo, I’ve learned a lot about how my body responds to certain foods. Even small adjustments (carbohydrates last, for example) helped me reduce the spikes. It’s easy to see how CGMs can serve as a valuable window into the body. If you’re looking for a simple, affordable entry to understand your glucose data, I think the Stelo is a solid choice.