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BOSTON – June 5, 2015 – Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), the global leader in medical technology, and Samsung Electronics, a world leader in consumer electronics committed to transformative mobile health and wellness solutions, today announced a partnership to improve diabetes management for the millions of people at risk and currently living with the disease. People with diabetes want convenient access to effectively manage their health from anywhere and at any time. Medtronic and Samsung Electronics are combining their respective strengths to develop a range of future solutions that will enhance the way people with diabetes live their lives, from remotely viewing diabetes data to ultimately integrating mobile and wearable devices into diabetes management systems.

The partnership, announced at the American Diabetes Association 75th Scientific Sessions, will combine Samsung’s deep understanding of consumer mobile technology to deliver secure and convenient access to Medtronic’s integrated diabetes management systems that provide clinically-proven outcomes. Managing diabetes effectively requires daily ongoing management to keep blood sugar levels under control. People with diabetes interact with their insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system throughout the day and are looking for solutions that are easy to use and fit into their lifestyle.

“By addressing more of the social and emotional aspects of living with diabetes and improving lifestyle fit, we believe that more people worldwide will be able to experience better diabetes control that today’s advanced therapies provide,” said Alejandro Galindo, vice president and general manager of the Intensive Insulin Management business at Medtronic. “Medtronic aims to transform diabetes by providing world-class integrated care, enabled by leading technologies, big data, and informatics. Our partnership with Samsung is a key step in providing convenient and discreet access to diabetes data, so together we can provide people with diabetes greater freedom and better health.”

“Samsung is committed to applying its deep understanding of how people use technology to bring new innovations to healthcare,” said Dr. David Rhew, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Healthcare and Fitness for Samsung Electronics America. “Patients are seeking better ways not only to monitor their condition, but also to enjoy a greater quality of life. We are excited to partner with Medtronic to develop diabetes management solutions that produce positive change and greater autonomy for people living with diabetes.”

The partnership’s first project focuses on delivering more discreet and convenient access to personal diabetes data by developing mobile applications optimized for Samsung mobile devices that will enable the viewing of insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) information. This application will work with Medtronic’s MiniMed Connect product (announced separately today), which provides easy access to important diabetes information for people with diabetes as well as remote alerts for their loved ones, and is expected to be available in the United States later this year. In addition, MiniMed Connect provides healthcare providers with more frequent and convenient access to their patients’ insulin pump and CGM via mobile connectivity so they can adjust care plans. Through this partnership, the MiniMed Connect will ultimately be available to more people worldwide, since close to 80% of mobile phone users utilize the Android operating system globally.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin, or when the pancreas produces insulin but it is resisted by the body. Insulin is a hormone the body needs to regulate blood sugar (glucose), the body's energy source. Globally, there are 387 million people with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

For more information on Samsung Health please visit http://www.samsung.com/us/business/by-industry/healthcare/