San Diego-based Biolinq develops the Shine sensor, which integrates glucose, activity and sleep information into a single device with autonomous operation. The first-of-its-kind system utilizes a patch on the forearm to provide real-time glucose feedback through a primary color-coded LED display, visible with or without a phone. Users can access additional insights for activity and sleep trends through a mobile app.
Unlike filament-based continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), Biolinq Shine doesn’t require a subcutaneous introducer needle for placement. It uses a microsensor array manufactured using state-of-the-art semiconductor technology. The company says this registers up to 20 times more shallow than conventional CGM needles.
Shine won FDA de novo clearance in September 2025. Today, the company shared more data supporting the use of the system in glucose monitoring at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions (ADA 2026) in New Orleans, adding to positive data shared at ADA 2025. Biolinq also closed a $100 million Series C funding round to support the technology last year.
A look at the Biolinq data shared at ADA
Dr. Timothy Bailey, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California at San Diego, presented the findings at ADA 2026. Biolinq’s study aimed to evaluate the novel, fully autonomous microneedle array sensor for real-time glucose ranges.
The trial took place across six U.S. sites with subjects aged between 22 and 82 years. It consisted of a five-day wear period with two 10-hour clinic days where glucose was manipulated. The sensor used a calibration-free, prospective algorithm to compare with the YSI 2300, SMBG, CGM and Fitbit.
Out of 190 sensor wearers, 87% were intensive insulin users and 50% had obesity, while race/ethnicity matched the U.S. type 2 diabetes population. Sensor lifetime came in at 85% with a median five-minute display rate of 98%.
For glucose measurements between 40-70 mg/dL, mean absolute relative difference (MARD, an accuracy measure) came in at 11.1%. More than 30% of sensors registered MARD below 10%, highlighting further accuracy. Investigators saw no meaningful performance difference across glucose levels, wear day, diabetes type, skin tone, BMI and age. Activity and sleep metrics strongly correlated with Fitbit and diary. The rate of individual adverse events came in below 1%.
Biolinq concluded that the novel biosensor is safe and effective and its unique, user-friendly color-coded display could facilitate engagement and adherence in people not using insulin.
More findings shared at ADA
Biolinq also presented a poster at ADA 2026 outlining the evaluation of lactate as a biomarker of metabolic health.
The company believes that a continuous lactate sensor could provide dynamic feedback on positive lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise. With high accuracy and low latency, the company sought to see if the sensor could enable precise exercise prescription based on true metabolic response rather than external workload alone.
Investigators placed 40 intradermal lactate sensors on the forearms of 10 healthy subjects. Each performed an exercise challenge on a stationary bike with increasing resistance and capillary blood meter samples every 3-5 minutes. They repeated the test each day for three consecutive days.
Biolinq said investigators evaluated sensor output for latency by assessing the timing of both initial lactate rise and maximum lactate peak against concurrent comparators. They evaluated sensors for signal quality during each of the daily sessions and the sensor identification time of a rise in tissue lactate totaled 1.5, -0.8, -1.7 minutes, respectively by day, compared to the concurrent blood sample. Each identified feature landed within the three-minute blood sampling time, suggesting minimal latency compared to blood.
The company concluded that an intradermal continuous lactate sensor has “extremely low latency with dynamic lactate changes during exercise.”
