When GlucoLight was founded in 2003 to bring to market an optical platform for non-invasive glucose monitoring-specifically, optical coherence tomography-its founders decided to set themselves apart from the pack in two ways. First, they would focus on generating clinical data, and letting that data speak for itself. The company has conducted six clinical trials to date. Second, they would validate its platform in an emerging market that needs a technological solution but that is well-validated from the clinical perspective: glucose monitoring in the hospital critical care environment. This market also offers a faster time to market because there is no requirement to miniaturize the monitor for the ICU environment. Part of a group of articles that includes: "Where are They Now? Checking in on Three Glucose Monitoring Companies," "A Decade of Development of SMSI: Will it Yield Improved Accuracy in CGM?" and "Pelikan Swoops in on the Big Four."

Summary of recent device mergers and acquisitions, alliances, and financings.

With an increasing emphasis on tight glycemic control in diabetes care, innovative devices could play a big role, but diabetes is a deceptively complex market. Innovative companies need to differentiate themselves, yet not venture too far outside existing industry dynamics. As the first real-time continuous glucose monitors come to market, a handful of start-ups hopes to be ready for the second generation. Many of these are taking a side excursion into the market for in-hospital glucose monitoring, once a sleepy market but now growing rapidly as outcomes data shows reduced mortality and morbidty in intensively managed hyperglycemic hospital patients.