Silicon Biosensing Secures Nearly RMB 500 Million in Series D Funding to Accelerate Digital Transformation of Glucose Management

VCBeat (WeChat: vcbeat) has learned that Shenzhen Sibionics Co., Ltd. (“Sibionics”) recently secured nearly RMB 500 million in Series D financing. This round was co-led by the Shanghai Biomedical Industry Fund and the Guangdong Traditional Chinese Medicine and Big Health Fund, with participation from Industrial Securities Capital, Jiacheng Capital, China New Town Development Co., Ltd., and other institutions. Fangyuan Capital served as the financial advisor to the company. This follows another financing round of over RMB 500 million completed earlier this year. The proceeds will primarily be used for market expansion, scaling up fully automated production lines, new product development, and advancing the company’s international operational layout.

Shenzhen Sibionics Co., Ltd., founded in 2015, is dedicated to the research, development, and industrialization of innovative medical devices for chronic disease management. Its key projects include Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems, AI-assisted diagnostic software for diabetic retinopathy (DR Screen), artificial retinas, and capsule endoscopy robots. By leveraging its technological expertise, the company has established three foundational technology platforms: a high-precision sensor manufacturing platform, a System-on-Chip (SoC) design platform, and an AI algorithm development platform. These efforts continuously advance the commercialization of scientific achievements, secure leading positions in multiple niche sectors, and drive technological progress within the industry. The “Sibionics Dynamic® Continuous Glucose Monitoring System,” independently developed by Shenzhen Sibionics, was created based on these technological platforms. It is the first CGM product approved in China that does not require fingerstick blood calibration, providing diabetic patients with a digital solution for blood glucose management.

According to statistics from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the global number of adult patients with diabetes reached 537 million in 2021, among which the number of adult diabetic patients in China reached 141 million, accounting for more than 26%. The growth rate from 2011 to 2021 was 56%, and it is expected to continue to rise in the future. Diabetes and its complications not only severely affect patients' health but also impose a significant economic burden on both patients and society.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) technology emerged against this backdrop as a novel approach to blood glucose monitoring. It enables real-time tracking of blood glucose levels and the detection of occult hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia that are often missed by conventional testing methods. CGM is now widely used in clinical practice, with numerous domestic and international guidelines recommending its clinical application. The promotion and adoption of CGM facilitate self-management of blood glucose in patients with diabetes and help reduce public health expenditures.

Sibionics CGM has independently developed sensor manufacturing technology, enabling real-time blood glucose monitoring without the need for fingerstick calibration. Featuring flexible sensors and real-time data transmission via Bluetooth, it enhances product accuracy, safety, comfort, and ease of use through technological innovation. A total of 68 core invention patents related to CGM have been filed.

Driven by globally leading product performance and innovative business models, Sibionics’ CGM has maintained strong sales growth. Officially launched at the end of 2021, it has been deployed in over 800 hospitals to date, serving users across 350 cities in China, with sales exceeding RMB 100 million. It has become a recommended CGM brand based on positive user feedback.

As a chronic disease, diabetes requires patients to manage and adjust their blood glucose levels primarily at home, within primary care settings, and in outpatient clinics. Hospitalization is typically limited to short periods for intensive glycemic control, treatment optimization, complication screening, and management of stress-related conditions. The traditional care model suffers from several pain points, including difficulties in retrieving medical history, inadequate post-discharge follow-up guidance, and low patient adherence due to various constraints.

Shenzhen Sibionics Co., Ltd. has developed a digital blood glucose management solution by integrating biological monitoring terminals, a medical big data platform, and professional medical services. This solution is applied to all core stages of blood glucose management, from awareness and treatment to glycemic control, and covers multiple application scenarios both within and outside hospital settings.

In in-hospital scenarios, Sibionics’ “Hospital-Wide Glucose Management Solution” integrates the entire workflow of glucose data display, storage, and transmission across outpatient, inpatient, and post-discharge phases. This enables unified management of glucose monitoring across all hospital departments and facilitates remote endocrinology consultations. In out-of-hospital scenarios, users can view real-time, continuous, and comprehensive glucose data via a mobile app, receive recommendations on diet, exercise, and sleep, and leverage the SiJoy mini-program to remotely share data with family and friends for collaborative health management. Additionally, the app supports the generation of Ambulatory Glucose Profile (AGP) reports authorized by the International Diabetes Center (IDC), enabling users to seek further professional consultation.

Sibionics enhances the accuracy, safety, comfort, and ease of use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) from multiple dimensions, including scenario-based empowerment, product experience, and professional guidance, thereby endowing CGM with greater value. By integrating real-time monitoring, professional reports, and authoritative guidance, it better helps users establish personalized blood glucose management plans, enabling a transition from merely “knowing how to measure” to “knowing how to manage.” This business model and decision-making logic embody the corporate cultural DNA of Sibionics—characterized by the innovation of scientists and the pragmatism of engineers—continuously validating and iterating the application value of its products to provide effective solutions for users.

For example, in response to the differentiated glucose control needs of various groups, Sibionics has launched a portfolio of personalized glucose management service products, including versions tailored for caregiving, parents, diet, and exercise. This initiative stems from Sibionics’ “1+X” product philosophy, which prioritizes identifying what kind of “new species” can best address users’ core scenario-based needs before committing resources to develop targeted solutions.

In terms of services, Sibionics leverages the resources of its affiliated internet hospital to assemble a professional medical service team comprising specialist physicians, health managers, and dietitians. In collaboration with the “China Dynamic Glucose Profiling and Digital Therapeutics R&D Center” at the National High-Performance Medical Device Center, it provides users with personalized interpretations of dynamic glucose profiling reports and comprehensive blood glucose management solutions.

A more innovative model has enabled Sibionics’ bionic glucose management solutions to feature a more refined service mechanism, an extended after-sales support cycle, and more outcome-driven application results, with continuous optimization and iteration to meet user needs and expectations.

Centered on the goal of blood glucose management, Sibionics has further deepened its business model by launching the "SiPrime Cherish Life" annual membership for blood glucose monitoring. This service is structured around time-based subscription benefits rather than the number of products purchased, covering the full cost of both continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and fingerstick blood glucose meters. Leveraging its technological and resource advantages, Sibionics provides a comprehensive bundle of essential tools for daily blood glucose monitoring, making this solution more economical, scientific, and hassle-free. The offering has garnered significant user favor since its launch.

Furthermore, Sibionics is also exploring and expanding the value boundaries of biological monitoring. It has gradually accumulated achievements and case studies in areas such as endurance sports, fat loss and weight management, and low-carbon diets, and is advancing the implementation of its solutions and business models.

In fact, cutting-edge biosensors are merely the vehicle; their essence lies in the practical application of evidence-based medicine through scientific means, which is also the core value proposition of Sibionics.Han Mingsong, General Manager of SibionicsThe company stated: “With the completion of a new round of financing, Sibionics will continue to deepen its engagement in the field of blood glucose management, optimize the form factor of its continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) products, enhance product performance, and launch next-generation CGM products as soon as possible to provide users with a world-leading CGM experience. We will also steadily advance our ‘closed-loop artificial pancreas’ project to comprehensively enrich the scope of our integrated blood glucose solutions. Furthermore, leveraging its accumulated expertise in sensor materials and processing technologies, Sibionics will fully utilize the advantages of its independently developed metal redox polymers and semipermeable membrane materials to build an in vivo real-time monitoring platform for biological indicators, enabling continuous real-time in vivo monitoring of multiple physiological parameters. Sibionics has already completed the development of a ‘continuous lactate monitoring system’ and a ‘continuous blood ketone monitoring system,’ and will promote their data applications among athletes and the general health-conscious population, creating multidimensional value for users. These products constitute an important part of Sibionics’ strategic layout in the broader health sector and lay a solid technological foundation for achieving real-time in vivo monitoring of multiple indicators on a single sensor in the near future.”

“Currently, Sibionics has a workforce of over 500 employees, with R&D personnel accounting for more than 40%. Moving forward, the company will continue to build on its technological advantages by further integrating its expertise in sensor monitoring, chip design, and artificial intelligence. This will accelerate the commercialization of innovative outcomes, deliver high-quality solutions for public health, alleviate the financial burden on patients and society, and demonstrate Sibionics’ value in the realm of public health economics.”

Ms. Liang Weibin, Partner of the Shanghai Biopharmaceutical Fundstated: “The Shanghai Biopharmaceutical Fund continues to closely monitor innovative device opportunities in the field of chronic disease management. China has the largest diabetic population globally, reaching 141 million in 2021. In the blood glucose monitoring market, Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems effectively address the pain points of traditional glucometers by providing patients with continuous and comprehensive glucose data. Currently, CGM penetration in the Chinese market remains low, creating an urgent patient need for highly accurate, calibration-free, and affordable real-time CGM solutions to better manage blood glucose levels. Shenzhen Sibionics Co., Ltd. has dedicated itself to mastering second-generation sensor technology. Its products have rapidly gained market recognition due to their high accuracy, real-time alerts, ease of use, and comfort. We look forward to collaborative empowerment to support Sibionics’ growth into a leading enterprise in China’s digital diabetes management sector.”

Zhong Peihua, General Manager of the Guangdong Traditional Chinese Medicine Big Health Fund“As one of the largest chronic diseases in China, diabetes prevention and control carry significant social implications. Serving national strategies, the Guangdong Traditional Chinese Medicine Big Health Fund strengthens its layout in key areas and weak links of chronic disease management, fostering industrial synergy in diabetes ‘treatment + monitoring.’ Adhering to independent R&D, Shenzhen Sibionics Co., Ltd. has overcome core technical bottlenecks in CGM products through multiple technological innovations, achieving stable quality control and automated mass production. As a leading domestic enterprise in digital blood glucose monitoring, it helps accelerate the process of import substitution. In the future, we will deepen our cooperation with Sibionics to jointly promote industrial agglomeration and optimization in China’s diabetes sector.”

Xiang Jun, Vice President of Industrial Securities Innovation Capitalstated: “We are highly optimistic about the significant market potential of the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) industry. CGM products are gradually transforming the daily routines of diabetes patients while tangibly improving their user experience. As a leading enterprise in China’s CGM industry, the company is growing into one of the sector’s dominant players, driven by its team’s exceptional R&D capabilities, professional expertise, and execution efficiency. Over the past year, Shenzhen Sibionics Co., Ltd. achieved regulatory approval, scaled up production, and completed commercial validation of its continuous glucose monitoring system. We look forward to Sibionics continuing to leverage its technological innovation capabilities to emerge as a leader in diabetes health management.”

Li Li, Founding Partner of Jiacheng Capitalstated: “We continue to prioritize innovative opportunities in the digital health sector, particularly those focused on effective health monitoring and management through the 24/7 acquisition of precise human physiological data via biosensors. Compared with traditional international medical device giants, the new generation of digital health, represented by Sibionics, is built upon the extensive development of cloud-based sensor technologies and computing power. Its defining feature is the real-time health monitoring data cloud, which provides a substantial foundation of real-world data for constructing more comprehensive human health models. This represents a globally promising direction for technological innovation. We are optimistic about Sibionics’ continuous innovation and expansion in the digital health field, grounded in its self-developed biosensors. We look forward to Sibionics leveraging its leading R&D capabilities to usher in an era of digitalized, automated, and proactive management for chronic diseases and overall health.”