GE Healthcare and Novo Nordisk Team Up for Non-Invasive Diabetes & Obesity Treatment

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• Personalized peripheral focused ultrasound therapy has potential as non-invasive, non-pharmacological alternative for chronic disease management
• Encouraging pre-clinical and early clinical data indicate potential use for people with type 2 diabetes
• Collaboration pairs GE HealthCare expertise in ultrasound technology with Novo Nordisk long-term experience in metabolic disease treatment and management to develop solution to improve patient care

PFUS is a non-invasive type of bioelectronic medicine that uses ultrasound to activate the nervous system to stimulate a response that may be able to treat disease. Pre-clinical proof of concept and initial early-stage clinical research suggests that it may impact glucose metabolism in people with diabetes via personalized ultrasound stimulation of nerve pathways. If validated with further clinical evidence, PFUS could represent a non-pharmacologic approach to normalize blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The existing technology was developed by a team of scientists at GE HealthCare’s HealthCare Technology and Innovation Center, formerly part of the GE Research Center.

“In an era where diabetes is increasing around the globe, we are enthusiastic about the potential for ultrasound to help people live healthier lives,” said Roland Rott, President and CEO, Ultrasound, GE HealthCare. “This collaboration with Novo Nordisk opens a path to evolve ultrasound from a means of screening and diagnosis into therapy, as well. We are eager to validate and further develop this potentially groundbreaking science, as we strive to offer patients alternative treatment options for chronic diseases.”

An estimated 540 million adults around the world have diabetes, with type 2 diabetes accounting for more than 90 percent of cases.¹ An estimated one in eight individuals will have diabetes in 2045, with significant disease burden in low-and-middle-income countries.¹ Given its impact on quality of life and mortality, and with its prevalence increasing at an alarming rate for the past three decades,² type 2 diabetes is a significant public health burden. Obesity impacts approximately 1 billion people worldwide.³

“We look forward to exploring the potential impact this technology could have on treating people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, as significant unmet needs remain in these diseases in spite of recent advances in care,” said Martin Holst Lange, Executive Vice President and Head of Development at Novo Nordisk. “Although early, the possibilities of using ultrasound for therapeutic purposes are compelling and we welcome our collaboration with GE HealthCare in this truly novel area.”

As part of the collaboration, GE HealthCare and Novo Nordisk will contribute their respective expertise in ultrasound medical technology and metabolic disease treatment and management as both parties work together to develop a PFUS solution to improve patient care, building upon the extensive foundational research done to date by the GE HealthCare team. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.