Sleek, sharp and discreet. A new health gadget to manage blood sugar levels that has the look of a high-tech MP3 player and is built to the highest specification, offering the latest advances in diabetes technology. Roche Diagnostics, the leading pioneer in diabetes management, today launches its new Accu-Chek Aviva Nano, enabling people with diabetes to enjoy a tool that will have lovers of cool gadgets drooling over it's look and technical ingenuity.

For the 2.5 million people diagnosed with diabetesⁱ , blood glucose monitoring is still the best way to manage fluctuations in blood sugar levels which can lead to complications like blindness and amputation . Roche Diagnostics has developed the new blood glucose monitoring system with style having an equal footing with technological innovation in a bid to motivate and encourage regular testing and ultimately take the stigma out of testing in public.

The Accu-Chek Aviva Nano is no taller than a car key and its stylish black design and easy handling features such as test reminder alarms to indicate when measurements need to be taken, ensure greater freedom in everyday life. It's particularly appealing to younger patients, who are used to having the latest and best looking gadgets to enhance their lifestyles.

"Nothing in Diabetes is trendy," commented Rachel Wainright, a Paediatric Diabetic Specialist Nurse at North Tyneside Hospital, "but with the Nano that's all changed. As I work with children and teenagers, it's much easier to get them to test if we've given them something that they like carrying around". Previous monitors have been too bulky and obvious. This is now a thing of the past with the introduction of the new stylish Nano.

The new Accu-Chek Aviva Nano is supported by an informative website with a virtual experience of the gadget (www.accu-chek.co.uk/nano). Some of the benefits of the Accu-Chek Aviva Nano include a large brilliant and easy-to-read backlit display, 4 customizable test reminders, measurement time in 5 seconds and alternate site testing for those with sensitive finger tips.

The new Accu-Chek Aviva Nano is available now and the RRP is £12.99. For further information about diabetes care contact the Accu-Chek Care Line on 0800 701 000 (UK) or 1 800 709 600 (Republic of Ireland) or visit www.accu-chek.co.uk/nano.

About Roche
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, and is a market leader in virology. It is also active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory and metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2008 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 36.0 billion Swiss francs, and sales by the Diagnostics Division posted 9.7 billion Swiss francs. Roche Diabetes Care posted 2008 sales of 2.9 billion Swiss francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invested nearly 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D in 2008. Worldwide, the Group employs about 80,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.roche.com.

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