$2 Million Grant to Power Bionic Pancreas Trials

 2018-10-12

Beta Bionics announced October 9, 2018 that it has been awarded a grant up to $2 million by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Beta Bionics is a medical technology company using machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop and commercialize the world’s first autonomous bionic pancreas—the iLet system.

The iLet Bionic Pancreas System from Beta Bionics is currently being studied in home-use clinical trials in adults and children with type 1 diabetes. The system consists of a dual-chamber, autonomous, infusion pump designed to mimic a biological pancreas.

The iLet system only requires the patient to enter body weight, and does not require any carbohydrate counting nor the configuring of any basal or bolus rates or correction ratios. This is possible because of the dual-chamber design which allows for the independent release of insulin, glucagon, or both.

In order to dose both insulin and glucagon, the iLet uses continuous glucose monitoring technology. The clinical trials currently underway are testing both the Dexcom G5 and Senseonics Eversense Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs). They’re also studying the system’s use with both Novolog and ultra-rapid-acting Fiasp insulin.

Clinically-tested dosing algorithms read CGM data and tell the pump to administer insulin and/or glucagon. These algorithms use lifelong machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve over time and adapt to an individual’s ever-changing requirements.

This grant awarded by the NIDDK will provide up to $2 million in funding over the next two years, pending the demonstration of success in early phase I clinical trial results.

We look forward to sharing the results of this exciting clinical research as they become available.


Read more about the iLet Bionic Pancreas clinical trials here.