Medtronic is spinning off its long-strained diabetes business into an independent company, allowing the medtech giant to focus on high-growth markets, the company announced Wednesday.

Although the Diabetes Group grew faster than the Fridley-run devicemaker’s other businesses, it also had the lowest total sales in the fiscal year ended April 25.

The business had previously experienced years of recalls, sales declines and issues at a California manufacturing plant, drawing warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Minnesota Star Tribune previously reported.

The new independent company will focus on accelerating innovation and will be the only one on the market to commercialize a complete portfolio addressing intensive insulin management, the company said.

CEO Geoff Martha said in a call with investors that the spinoff decision is good for Medtronic and the diabetes business.

“Active portfolio management is an important lever to delivering on our ongoing growth and success,” Martha said in a press release, “and this decision shifts the Medtronic portfolio to have intense focus on our highest-margin growth-drivers, where we have our strongest core competencies.”

While Medtronic device sales are often business-to-business, the diabetes division sells products directly to consumers, Martha noted.

The separation is expected to wrap up within 18 months through capital markets transactions, with a preferred route of an initial public offering, the company said.