Insulet released Q1 earnings today and held a related investor call. There were statements made that give me the impression there may be a light at the end of the waiting-for-the-new-system tunnel.

The explanation for the delay of deployment for new customers was provided by Duane DeSisto, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, beginning with the discussion of greater than anticipated interest from new customers resulting in greater demand than original expectations:

“With this significant uptick in demand we did make the decision to delay the transition of existing customers for approximately ninety days in order to build additional OmniPod supply. While the manufacturing process continues to improve we had an unexpected component issue that resulted in lower than planned production in the latter part of Q1. While this component issue was quickly identified and remedied…we determined it most prudent to build inventory to ensure that both manufacturing lines were operating efficiently before we commenced the transition of over 45,000 customers to the new OmniPod. At this point we expect that conversion to start in the next few weeks and we remain confident that nearly all customers will be transitioned by the end of the third quarter.”

Later on in the call when asked: “Do you have inventory levels today to support that transition, or do you think you will have that by the end of the month?” Answer was: “We will have inventory levels here in the next few weeks that we will start converting people.”

Other news:

Lilly Partnership to develop a new OmniPod targeted toward highly insulin resistant people with type 2 diabetes to deliver Humilin U500 insulin. 

As previously disclosed, Insulet has signed a development agreement with an unnamed CGM partner for the development of a sensor to be included in the OmniPod. Human trials are hoped to begin in early 2014. This would be make Insulet the only provider of a system with one product on the body and one handheld device for both insulin pump and CGM.

Listen to the entire call here.

Information is helpful. Thank you for sharing, Insulet. Keep it coming, please.

Read it here.