Liom has come a step closer to the market launch of its first wrist-worn device for non-invasive monitoring of blood glucose. This was reported by the company based in Pfäffikon in the canton of Schwyz with offices in San Francisco.
Founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneur Leo Grünstein, the health tech startup is aiming to develop the first non-invasive wearable to monitor blood sugar levels without the need for a needle. No such device has been approved at present. Therefore, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning to not use smart watches to measure blood glucose levels.
Alongside traditional laboratory methods, only continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are approved. For these, a needle is used to insert a sensor under the skin to measure glucose levels.
According to the company's statement, Liom is the first and only company to use light and artificial intelligence to provide accurate non-invasive glucose measurements without the need for invasive per-subject calibration using a needle. This puts it “ahead of the deep-pocketed, established players in the wearable business, such as Apple, Samsung and Google, that so far were not able to share comparable results”.
Liom has reportedly demonstrated this in a number of internal and external studies throughout 2024. “These accomplishments reflect our strong track record of steadily and reliably making progress towards our goal of launching the ultimate wearable,” CEO Leo Grünstein is quoted as saying.
Liom is now working on the further miniaturization of its technology. The device will be shipped by mid-2027 at the latest. A waitlist sign-up for its launch is already available online. The recently launched Series A financing is expected to raise between US$50 and US$70 million. ce/mm
Related news
Meet with an expansion expert
Our services are free of charge and include:
- Introduction to key contacts in industry, academia, and government
- Advice on regulatory framework, taxes, labor, market, and setting up a company
- Custom-made fact-finding visits, including office and co-working space