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The Bionic Pancreas Gets a Sixth Sense to Combat a Silent Killer

Jackson Lee•Jun 19, 2025
A sleek, futuristic graphic showing the iLet Bionic Pancreas device. Glowing digital lines connect it to a sensor on a person's arm. Two distinct data streams—one for glucose and one for ketones—are shown flowing from the sensor into the iLet's "brain," illustrating its enhanced, dual-monitoring protection.
  • A New Alliance: Beta Bionics will integrate its iLet Bionic Pancreas with Abbott's future dual glucose-ketone sensor.
  • Beyond Glucose: The new system will monitor not just glucose but also ketones, providing an early warning against the life-threatening condition of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
  • Automated Protection: This integration aims to create the most advanced, automated shield against diabetes complications, building on the iLet's revolutionary ability to function without user-calculated insulin doses.

Born from a father’s mission to protect his son from the daily burdens of type 1 diabetes, the iLet Bionic Pancreas has already revolutionized care2, 7. As the first and only fully autonomous insulin delivery system, it removes the relentless burden of carb counting and manual calculations, a promise of freedom for thousands1, 5. Now, that promise is about to get stronger.

In a landmark collaboration, Beta Bionics and Abbott are joining forces to give the iLet a new, life-saving sense. The plan is to integrate Abbott’s next-generation dual sensor, which monitors not only glucose but also ketones—the tell-tale sign of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a silent but deadly complication.

For people with type 1 diabetes, DKA is a constant threat that can escalate into a medical emergency with frightening speed. By combining real-time ketone data with its intelligent insulin-dosing algorithm, the iLet will be able to provide an unprecedented level of automated protection. This isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a fundamental shift toward pre-emptive care.

“This integration holds great promise for further enhancing real-time decision-making support,” said Sean Saint, President and CEO of Beta Bionics. This fusion of technologies signals a new dawn, where a bionic pancreas can not only manage blood sugar but also stand guard against one of diabetes’ most dangerous threats.

For important safety information, please visit https://www.freestyle.abbott/us-en/safety-information.html.

References

  1. www.betabionics.com
  2. www.bu.edu
  3. www.unitedformedicalresearch.org
  4. www.schott.com
  5. www.aau.edu
  6. freestyleserver.com
  7. www.aau.edu
  8. www.adces.org

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