Error-free blood glucose testing strips FreeStyle Lite to hit markets shortly: Abbott

FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips, a new error-free sugar level monitoring strips to be used in glucometers by diabetics, will be available in markets shortly.

Abbott’s FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips minimizes interference during blood glucose testing and gives an almost error-free report.

Unlike, the commonly available glucose test strips, testing with FreeStyle Lite shows only glucose levels in the blood and the report is not affected by other sugars in the blood.

For this, FreeStyle Lite uses a new enzyme a GDH-FAD. GDH-FAD test results are unaffected by common non-glucose sugars, such as maltose or galactose, and minimizes the potential for other interference which is normally the case with GDH-PQQ based test strips, Abbott said in a press release.

Another advantage of the new FreeStyle test strips is that they are compatible with all FreeStyle blood glucose monitoring systems, eliminating the need to switch meters.

The FreeStyle strips feature a new, easier-to-use tapered design with ZipWik tabs that offers a better blood glucose testing experience.

The new strips are designed to ensure faster blood application and to reduce the number of error messages and wasted test strips.

“Abbott’s new FreeStyle test strips offer innovative technology that delivers on what patients and health care professionals demand in diabetes care,” stated Heather L. Mason, senior vice president, Abbott Diabetes Care.

The innovative technology minimizes interference and is designed to make the new FreeStyle test strips easier to use, he added.

FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips, has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Abbott plans to make FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips available to customers in August.

Retailers and consumers can expect widespread availability by the end of October 2010.

With FDA clearance of the new FreeStyle test strips, new FreeStyle and FreeStyle Lite test strips will now be available in the U.S. and 15 European countries.

Over the coming months, the new FreeStyle and FreeStyle Lite test strips will be available to customers in Australia, Israel and Norway.

Abbott Diabetes Care, based in Alameda, California, is a leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing glucose monitoring systems.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.

Abbott markets its products in more than 130 countries.