Medtronic's diabetes breakthrough puts woes in past with soaring sales

18 months after the device was approved, the company says it will be able to meet demand

Medtronic Plc’s diabetes breakthrough is finally starting to pay off.

The diabetes division led the medical-device company’s sales growth last quarter, with a 17 per cent increase. The gain followed more than a year of mishaps that had prevented Medtronic from meeting surging demand for its latest device -- an artificial pancreas that takes over much of the constant attention diabetics must devote to controlling their blood sugar levels.

“I do expect this to be a pivot point in many ways for diabetes,” Chief Executive Officer Omar Ishrak said in a telephone interview following the company’s quarterly earnings call. He expects the