The companies plan to combine Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with the Beta Bionics iLet bionic pancreas. According to Beta Bionics, this will make iLet the first available AID system to integrate with Libre 3 Plus in the U.S. The companies plan to launch this integration in the fourth quarter of 2024.
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.
“Beta Bionics developed the iLet Bionic Pancreas to offer the type 1 community a way to manage their diabetes with less burden and more convenience. Part of that convenience is offering choice,” said Sean Saint, CEO of Beta Bionics. “This partnership with Abbott will enable us to offer a choice of iCGMs so users will be able to customize their iLet diabetes management experience with the CGM they know and trust.”
More about the Beta Bionics iLet bionic pancreas and Abbott’s insulin delivery efforts
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. Users can “go bionic,” requiring no carb counting or insulin correction calculations. Then, iLet determines 100% of the insulin doses throughout the day.
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 last month announced the 10,000th patient start on its system.
In addition to the Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus, iLet pairs with the previous-generation Dexcom G6 CGM and the latest G7 CGM.
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 and announced compatibility with the Tandem Diabetes Care t:slim X2 system in January.
Notably, the company also struck a deal with Medtronic to develop CGMs specifically for the medtech giant’s own insulin delivery systems.
“Abbott is dedicated to creating future-forward health technologies that simplify how people living with diabetes manage their condition and their overall health,” said Jared Watkin, EVP of Abbott’s Diabetes Care business. “By working with various industry partners, we’re giving users more choices in the technology they use to manage their diabetes effectively. Our collaboration with Beta Bionics will offer an automated closed-loop system that is accurate, easy to use, and can help users focus less on diabetes and more on life.”
