The companies announced their plan to combine the FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with iLet last month. According to Beta Bionics, this makes iLet the first available automated insulin delivery (AID) system to integrate with Libre 3 Plus in the U.S.
Beta Bionics designed its iLet autonomous insulin delivery system to streamline diabetes management. The system, which reduces the burden on patients and physicians, received FDA clearance in May 2023. iLet users can “go bionic,” requiring no carb counting or insulin correction calculations. Then, iLet determines 100% of the insulin doses throughout the day. The only input required to get started is the user’s weight.
Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus is the company’s latest-generation CGM designed for insulin pump integration. Its readings every minute can help iLet calculate insulin doses.
“Beta Bionics continues to move at lightning speed to bring these enhancements to our userbase,” said Sean Saint, CEO of Beta Bionics. “With our recent launch of the Bionic Circle remote monitoring app, our latest updates to the iLet app, and today’s launch of the iLet integration with Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor, we are focused on providing major product enhancements to make diabetes management even easier for our users and their families.”
More about the Beta Bionics iLet bionic pancreas and Abbott’s AID push
The iLet system uses an adaptive, closed-loop algorithm. The algorithm initializes with the user’s body weight and requires no additional insulin dosing parameters. The algorithm removes the need to manually adjust insulin pump therapy settings and variables.
iLet users only input their weight, then the system does the rest, eliminating the need for healthcare providers to determine correction factors, insulin-to-carb ratios or pre-set basal rates. The system simplifies mealtime by replacing carb counting with a meal announcement feature. Users can estimate the amount of carbs in their meals as an algorithm learns to respond to individual insulin needs. Beta Bionics announced the 10,000th patient start on its system in August.
Beta Bionics said the integration with Abbott offers a new way to manage type 1 diabetes. Both companies also sell through the pharmacy channel, so users of the platform can obtain their supplies through the pay-as-you-go model. iLet and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus also remain available through durable medical equipment providers.
Concord, Massachusetts–based Beta Bionics also offers the recently launched Bionic Circle App, which allows users to invite up to 10 friends and family to remotely monitor CGM values and insulin doses. Bionic Circle members can receive alerts and view a user’s glucose levels, meal announcements, insulin doses and trends.
iLet users can now update their app and software to gain a choice of integrated CGMs. They can choose between Libre 3 Plus and Dexcom CGMs.
Abbott, meanwhile, continues to push forward on the automated insulin delivery integration front. The company recently paired its FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus with Insulet’s Omnipod 5 in Europe. It also announced compatibility with the Tandem Diabetes Care t:slim X2 system in January.
Notably, the company also struck a deal with Medtronic in August. They aim to develop CGMs specifically for the medtech giant’s own insulin delivery systems.
