Concord, Massachusetts-based Beta Bionics develops the iLet bionic pancreas system. The pocket-sized, wearable, investigational iLet device autonomously doses insulin. Worn like an insulin pump, iLet users only enter body weight to initialize therapy. Users would no longer have the need for insulin regimen parameters.
The company designed the device to then automatically titrate and infuse insulin. It eliminates the requirement of counting carbs, the settings of certain rates and factors and more. Former Beta Bionics interim CEO and board member Martha Aronson spoke to Drug Delivery Business News least year. She said iLet could help those with diabetes reduce the cognitive burden of managing their disease.
“As we move closer to commercial launch of the iLet Bionic Pancreas, we have strategically added a wealth of knowledge and experience to our executive team,” said Sean Saint, president and CEO of Beta Bionics. “Dr. Russell is one of the foremost thought leaders in the field of diabetes technology and I have turned to him often over the years for his expertise and perspective. His experience with the bionic pancreas in a clinical setting is second to none. There is no better person we could have for our Chief Medical Officer as we complete the regulatory review process and prepare for the US launch of the iLet.”
About new Beta Bionics CMO Dr. Steven Russell
Russell, an endocrinologist and diabetologist, brings 20 years of experience in diabetes management. He serves as an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He also works as an attending physician at Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Associates.
His work at MGH centers around the application of new technologies to improve the care of people with diabetes. That includes work with Beta Bionics founder and executive chair Dr. Ed Damiano’s Boston University research group. That group aims to develop and test a wearable bionic pancreas for automated blood glucose control in diabetes.
“The bionic pancreas project has been the focus of my professional life for many years,” said Russell. “Until the completion of the pivotal trial, I felt I was able to bring the most value to the project as an academic physician, providing advice and executing clinical trials. Now that the pivotal trial is complete, I think my contributions will be most impactful by providing medical leadership within Beta Bionics as we work to obtain FDA clearance and prepare for the launch of the iLet.”
Russell plans to retain his Harvard Medical School faculty appointment. Additionally, he remains at MGH Diabetes Associates on a part-time basis.
“I am thrilled to welcome Steven to Beta Bionics as our new chief medical officer,” said Damiano. “I began collaborating with Steven on the bionic pancreas project over 15 years ago. Our partnership has spanned inpatient clinical trials, pre-pivotal home-use clinical trials, and most recently, a pivotal trial of the iLet in adults and children with type 1 diabetes. Simply put, the bionic pancreas would not be as far along as it is today without Steven Russell.”
