Bayer's New Contour Next Link Blood Glucose Meter Now Available with Compatible Medtronic Insulin Pumps

Diabetes Technology Glucose Monitoring
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MEDIA ADVISORY

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) and Bayer HealthCare today announced that Bayer’s CONTOUR NEXT LINK, a new blood glucose meter, is now available in the U.S. with Medtronic’s compatible integrated diabetes management systems.

Bayer’s new meter provides exceptional accuracy utilizing high-performance CONTOUR NEXT test strips, helping optimize insulin delivery through wireless communication with the MiniMed Paradigm™ REAL-Time Revel™ insulin pump and the MiniMed Paradigm™ REAL-Time insulin pump. People with diabetes can have greater confidence that seamless integration with Medtronic’s Bolus Wizard makes bolus calculations quick and easy, eliminating inaccuracies due to manual entry errors.

Bayer’s CONTOUR NEXT LINK utilizes the new, high-accuracy CONTOUR NEXT test strips that deliver exceptional accuracy for close-to-professional lab results that people with diabetes can count on, especially in the low glucose range (<75 mg/dL). Other features of CONTOUR NEXT LINK include: · Enables fast and easy bolus dosing and continuous glucose monitoring calibration · Pass-through feature allows for easy downloading to Medtronic’s convenient online CareLINK software, replacing the CareLINK USB device · Bayer’s No Coding™ technology makes testing easy by automatically setting the correct code each time a test strip is inserted · Easy-to-read display with large, clear numbers · Fast 5-second countdown and small 0.6 μL blood sample · Optional pre- and post-meal markers with audible reminders Starting today, new Medtronic customers will receive CONTOUR NEXT LINK with any new pump order. Existing customers will be contacted by Medtronic and provided with new meters over time, beginning in January of 2013. CONTOUR NEXT LINK is also compatible with the Guardian REAL-Time continuous glucose monitoring system.

About Bayer HealthCare

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subgroup of Bayer AG with annual sales of EUR 17.2 billion (2011), is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care and Pharmaceuticals divisions. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover, develop, manufacture and market products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Bayer HealthCare has a global workforce of 55,700 employees (December 31, 2011) and is represented in more than 100 countries. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.

About the Diabetes Business at Medtronic

The Diabetes business at Medtronic (www.medtronicdiabetes.com) is the world leader in advanced diabetes management solutions, including integrated diabetes management systems, insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring systems and therapy management software, as well as world-class, 24/7 expert consumer and professional service and support.

About Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world.

Bayer Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Medtronic Forward-Looking Statements

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

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Thanks for the news Emily… I’m due for a new meter. I’ve been using the same one for 5 years!

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I received a new pump three weeks ago and it came with the new Contour meter. I have my BG tested at a lab 2x every week and the new meter is very close to my lab BG results never more the a couple of points difference. I'm in the process of switching over to the Contour strips. On the negative side the strips are more money and the meter is still lacking a back light. I would give the new meter 4 stars...5 if it had a back light.

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No back light was the only complaint I had with my previous meter. Sure which the new contour had one. Wonder what their reason for not putting one is?

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Forgot to ask, is there a big price difference in the strips? I’m using one touch ultra link.

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For me it cost $40 more dollars every 90 days. My insurance plan considers contour test strips tier 3.

I also forgot to mention that the contour meter uses the pancake batteries and they only last about 400

test if you have the wireless feature turned on. Bayer recognizes this flaw and will replace batteries free

of charge you just need to call them, they also did this years ago with the Navigator CGM.

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Why no light? That’s my biggest complaint with the current meter that comes with my Minimed pump. I need a light!

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Interesting, because Bayer is rumored to be speaking with Wall Street investment banks to sell it's diabetes meter and testing supplies business (see "Germany's Bayer considers diabetes device unit sale: report", Source: Reuters, May 9, 2012, http://reut.rs/TXohRo for details). While Bayer's Contour USB meter, upon which this is based was a competent meter, Bayer has struggled (much like Abbott and Sanofi also struggle) to get the product covered by major insurance company formularies.

The chatter on Cafe Pharma, an industry message board noted they would not be surprised in Medtronic is among the list of potential buyers for that business (see http://goo.gl/KUM9q to read the postings), although presently, no moves have been formally announced. The price tag is likely to be in the billions, and it's unclear how much appetite Medtronic has for acquisitions of this sort at the moment, but it does raise interesting possibilities should something like that happen!

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BTW, if the Contour Next Link is anything like the Contour USB (and it looks an awful lot like that meter catch Bernard Farrell's post on that at http://goo.gl/oaQbP), try pushing the power button twice to see if it illuminates the the slot for the test strips.

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is the BAYER CONTOUR NEXT LINK covered by MEDICARE & if not...WHY?