Healthcare: Air Liquide Strengthens Its Position in Home Care for Patients with Diabetes and Participates in the French Artificial Pancreas Project

Regulatory News:

By signing a partnership with CERITD, the French Center for Studies and Research for the Intensification of Diabetes Treatment, Air Liquide (Paris:AI) is strengthening its position in home healthcare for patients with diabetes. Air Liquide also acquired an equity stake in "Diabeloop”, the French start-up that is developing an electronic artificial pancreas.

With this new collaboration, Air Liquide continues the approach initiated by CERITD based on cooperation between hospital teams and homecare nurses. At the request of physicians, nurses will be able to help provide even more personalized follow-up for patients with diabetes treated at home, such as adjusting the treatment in accordance with a strict protocol.

In addition, to increase its level of expertise in the field of diabetes and support innovation, Air Liquide has acquired an equity stake via ALIAD, the Group’s venture capital investment arm, in the French start-up Diabeloop, which is developing its own artificial pancreas. Founded by CERITD’s diabetes specialists, in partnership with the CEA Leti,¹ Diabeloop is designing an electronic artificial pancreas composed of an insulin pump in the form of a patch and a glucose sensor both connected. Driven by an algorithm, this system will enable to automate the delivery of insulin and thus reproduce the functions of the defective pancreas.

In practice, using the data collected by the continuous glucose sensor, the algorithm determines the right dose of insulin, which is then delivered in real time via the insulin pump in order to improve patient glucose regulation.

This technology will help improve the daily life of patients with type 1 diabetes by partially automating the management of this disease. The investment made by Air Liquide in Diabeloop confirms the Group’s commitment to digital technologies and healthcare, in the aim of helping patients achieve a better quality of life and care.

François Jackow, member of the Air Liquide group’s Executive Committee, supervising the Healthcare activities, said: "The partnership with CERITD, a leading research center for diabetes treatment, and investments in innovative projects such as Diabeloop's electronic artificial pancreas, are in line with the development strategy of Air Liquide's Home Healthcare activity. By relying on innovation ecosystems, Air Liquide is contributing to advances in home care for patients with chronic illnesses."

Air Liquide Healthcare
Supplies medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene products, medical equipment and specialty ingredients.
In 2016, it served over 15,000 hospitals and clinics and more than 1.4 million patients at home throughout the world. The Group’s Healthcare business reached €3,111 million in revenues in 2016, with the support of its 15,000 employees.

The Home Healthcare Business of Air Liquide
Air Liquide, European leader in home healthcare, provides home healthcare services in compliance with medical prescription for patients suffering from chronic diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), sleep apnea and diabetes. These home healthcare services are being developed in addition to hospital care, enabling patients to enjoy better quality of life and local authorities to reduce costs. Home healthcare represents about 50% of Air Liquide's revenue in Healthcare in 2016.

The world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 67,000 employees and serves more than 3 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide’s scientific territory and have been at the core of the company’s activities since its creation in 1902.

Air Liquide’s ambition is to lead its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability. The company’s customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.

Air Liquide’s revenue amounted to €18.1 billion in 2016 and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.

¹ Electronics laboratory for information technology of the CEA (The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)

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