Of the world's 371 million people diagnosed with diabetes, nearly 200 million live in Asia. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF; Brussels, Belgium), those numbers are set to climb dramatically. By 2030, it is estimated that 522 million people worldwide will have diabetes, with 300 million of them living in Asia. Already, China, India, Indonesia and Japan rank among the top ten countries with the greatest numbers of diabetics.

SAN FRANCISCO — The acquisition of privately-owned, venture capital-backed Ardian (Mountain View, California) in January 2011 by Medtronic (MDT; Minneapolis) for $800 million in cash upfront, plus commercial milestones equal to the annual revenue growth through the end of Medtronic's fiscal year 2015 sent shockwaves through the cardiology and medical device communities (Medical Device Daily, Dec. 1, 2010).