Big pharma and Silicon Valley have been circling one another for some time, looking for ways in which they might harness the power of data technology to medical ends. Now a fusion of West Coast entrepreneurship and lab-coated medical expertise has spawned its first big publicly announced transaction. Google has struck a deal with Novartis to develop a “smart” contact lens designed to help diabetics track their blood sugar levels.

The lens works by analysing the level of glucose in a wearer’s tear fluid and communicating the data to a mobile device. It replaces the need for diabetics to test their own blood sugar levels several times a day – a process that is both painful and inconvenient.

The resulting data will give a continuous readout on the patient’s blood sugar levels rather than the current series of snapshots. Over time the provision of better and more timely information should reduce the incidence of hypo- and hyperglycaemic attacks.