Medtronic plc’s diabetes unit has not received the positive attention lavished on competitors in recent years, but that may be about to change, if its presentations and analysts’ views from the American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions this weekend provide a good measure. Perhaps most notably, Medtronic’s Mimimed 780G, a hybrid closed-loop automated insulin delivery system that received U.S. FDA clearance in April 2023, posted strong results and could be the catalyst for increased traction of the diabetes franchise.

Results presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 84th Scientific Sessions in Orlando this weekend demonstrated significant reductions in blood glucose and insulin requirements in people with type 2 diabetes using Insulet Corp.’s Omnipod 5 automated insulin delivery (AID) system, providing a solid base for the company’s expansion into a much larger market.

A team of researchers have developed a blood test which uses artificial intelligence to predict Parkinson’s disease in patients up to seven years before symptoms appear. The test, based on the identification of eight biomarkers in the blood, will be able to identify patients who can be treated earlier with therapies to slow down the progression of the disease or even prevent it from occurring.

The recent conviction of Ontrak Inc. CEO Terren Peizer for insider trading was conspicuous on two counts, including that it was the first time such a conviction had been obtained solely for trading conducted under a government-approved insider trading policy. More worrisome for industry, generally, is the case is another example of federal prosecutors’ ever-growing use of data and analytics to root out violations of SEC law. This is a trend that seems destined to grow with advances in artificial intelligence.