Abbott LaboratoriesABT

Abbott is partnering with Berry Street to connect users of its Lingo continuous glucose monitor with registered dietitians. The goal is to help people who are not diabetic use their real-time blood sugar data to make better food and lifestyle choices. Berry Street’s services are often covered by insurance, which could make the combined offering more affordable for a wider group of people.

This move is part of Abbott's push to expand its glucose-sensing technology beyond the traditional medical market and into general wellness. By pairing the hardware with professional advice, the company is trying to make the data more useful and keep customers using the device longer. If this helps Abbott reach more people who do not have diabetes, it opens up a large new source of recurring revenue for its medical device business.

Source: PRNewsWire

Abbott has agreed to pay more than $384 million to resolve allegations concerning contaminated infant formula. The settlement with the U.S. Justice Department follows a period of scrutiny over safety standards at its manufacturing plants.

While the dollar amount is large, it is manageable for a company that brought in over $7 billion in cash last year. This deal helps put a long-running legal distraction behind the nutrition business, allowing management to focus on its faster-growing medical device units.

Source: Reuters

Abbott has received FDA approval for its TactiFlex Duo catheter, a tool used by doctors to treat atrial fibrillation, or AFib. AFib is a condition where the heart beats irregularly, which can lead to blood clots or strokes. This new device is unique because it combines two methods, radiofrequency energy, which uses heat, and pulsed field ablation, which uses electrical pulses, into a single tool to help doctors handle complex cases more effectively.

This approval is a win for Abbott's medical device business, which is the company's most important engine for growth. By offering both energy types in one device, Abbott is better positioned to compete in the fast-growing market for heart rhythm treatments. It also strengthens a product line that earns higher profit margins than the company's older segments like nutrition or basic diagnostics.

Source: PRNewsWire

Abbott is launching a new version of its Similac formula made with whole milk. This is the first ready-to-feed liquid formula of its kind in the U.S. market. By using whole milk, the company is trying to match the fat profile of breast milk more closely while adding prebiotics, which are ingredients that help support a baby's immune system.

This launch matters because nutrition is one of Abbott's four main business units. While the company has faced recent legal challenges over its older formula products, this new launch shows it is still investing in the category. Offering a liquid version at a similar price to powder could help Abbott win back parents who want more convenience without a higher cost.

Source: PRNewsWire

Abbott received the CE Mark, which is the regulatory approval needed to sell medical devices in Europe, for its new Amulet 360 heart implant. The device is designed for people with atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that can cause blood to pool and clot in a small pouch of the heart called the left atrial appendage. By sealing this pouch, the device reduces the risk of stroke and can help patients stop taking long-term blood-thinning medications.

This is an important win for Abbott's structural heart business, which focuses on fixing physical defects in the heart without open surgery. While the company already has an older version of this device on the market, this new model is designed to fit more securely and seal the heart pouch more effectively. Expanding this product line is a key part of Abbott's plan to grow its medical device sales faster than its older business units like nutrition or diagnostics.

Source: PRNewsWire

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