Niia All-in-One Patch Pump Is One Step Closer With New Partnership

PharmaSens has announced a development partnership with Chinese CGM manufacturer SiBionics to integrate continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) into Niia, its all-in-one, tubeless insulin patch pump. The collaboration brings PharmaSens closer to delivering on its ambitious goal: a fully self-contained diabetes device that simplifies life with insulin-requiring diabetes.

The Niia system, which is currently awaiting FDA 510(k) clearance (submitted in 2023), is designed to combine insulin delivery, CGM, and algorithm control in a single wearable. As detailed in my previous coverage, the company has outlined a three-phase development plan — with the ultimate version featuring hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery.

SiBionics, a Chinese company founded in 2015, brings its GS3 CGM to the partnership. The GS3 has received CE Mark approval in Europe and boasts a sleek profile: just 2.9 mm thick and weighs 1.5 grams. Its tiny footprint—roughly the size of a small coin—makes it an attractive candidate for hardware integration into an all-in-one device like Niia.

At EASD 2024, I saw two working prototypes of PharmaSens’ all-in-one pump, and it appears they’ve chosen a design in which the insulin needle and CGM filament are inserted separately within the same patch.

Still, challenges remain. Prior testing of Niia involved CGM electronics positioned outside the patch pump, and further miniaturization will be needed to make full integration a reality. Whether PharmaSens and SiBionics can shrink the tech enough to pull it off is still an open question.

Nonetheless, this partnership represents a bold step toward the future of simplified diabetes management. PharmaSens isn't alone — Medtronic is also working toward an all-in-one CGM and pump device, and their latest generation of patch pumps brings them closer as well.

The race is on.

If you’re finding value in our content, consider joining Diabetech All Access — our premium membership that unlocks exclusive stories and in-depth industry analysis. Your support helps sustain our independent diabetes tech journalism and keeps this platform thriving.

If you’d like to see our video and analysis of the all-in-one Niia, watch our recap of EASD 2024 below.