T1D From Diagnosis to Device: What's New in Diabetes Research

Welcome

Welcome to this week's edition of the MDS Diabetes Encyclopedia Newsletter, your trusted source for the latest in diabetes research, technology, and practical tips. We're glad you're here for the week of July 17, 2026. Whether you're living with diabetes, caring for someone who is, or working in the diabetes care field, we've curated the most relevant updates to keep you informed and empowered. This week we dig into new research on type 1 diabetes outcomes in youth, glucose monitoring access in South Africa, insulin delivery innovations for toddlers, and more. Let's get started.

What's in This Issue

This week's newsletter covers five important new studies from leading diabetes journals, including findings on participant-reported outcomes after a type 1 diabetes diagnosis, the real-world feasibility of CGM in South Africa's public health system, quality of care data from hundreds of Italian diabetes clinics, a promising approach to insulin delivery in very young children, and emerging research on gestational diabetes at the cellular level. We also have updates on the latest devices hitting the market, a clinical trial you or someone you know may be able to join, a smart tip for making the most of your FSA benefits, and a product recommendation from our friends at MDS Diabetes.

Research Roundup

Study 1: How Do Newly Diagnosed Young People with Type 1 Diabetes Feel, and Does It Relate to Their Biology?

Published in Diabetologia, this study looked at participant-reported outcome measures, often called PROMs, in young people who had just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. PROMs are surveys that capture how patients feel about their health, quality of life, and daily functioning. Researchers wanted to understand how these scores change right after diagnosis and whether they are connected to how much insulin the body is still producing on its own, known as residual beta cell function, as well as other metabolic factors. This matters because many clinical trials use PROMs to evaluate whether a new treatment is working, but if those scores are naturally shifting just because of the diagnosis itself, it can muddy the waters. Understanding that baseline is essential for interpreting trial results accurately and for giving newly diagnosed patients and families a clearer picture of what to expect emotionally and physically in those early weeks and months.

Study 2: Can CGM Work in South Africa's Public Health System?

This qualitative study, published in PLOS ONE, explored the experiences and perceptions of both people living with type 1 diabetes and healthcare providers when it comes to using Continuous Glucose Monitoring in South Africa's public sector clinics. CGM devices track blood sugar levels around the clock and help people make better decisions about insulin, food, and activity. While CGM has become a standard of care in many high-income countries, its adoption in low- and middle-income countries remains low due to cost, infrastructure, and awareness barriers. The study found a strong interest in CGM from both patients and providers, but also significant concerns around affordability, training, and system-level support. The findings are a meaningful step toward identifying what would need to change for CGM to become accessible in resource-limited settings, which could benefit millions of people with diabetes globally.

Study 3: How Well Are Italian Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Being Cared For?

Italy's Association of Medical Diabetologists, known as AMD, has been tracking diabetes care quality across the country since 2006. This new report from their 2025 Annals initiative examines the clinical characteristics and quality of care for adults with type 1 diabetes across 343 Italian diabetes clinics. The data, drawn from anonymized patient records, gives a broad picture of how people are doing in terms of blood sugar control, use of diabetes technology such as CGM and insulin pumps, and how well clinics are meeting established care benchmarks. Studies like this one are valuable because they reveal gaps between best-practice guidelines and what's actually happening in the real world, helping healthcare systems identify where to direct resources, education, and policy changes to improve outcomes at a population level.

Study 4: Diluted Insulin May Improve Safety and Glucose Control in Toddlers Using Automated Delivery Systems

Published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, this study tackled one of the trickiest challenges in pediatric diabetes care: managing type 1 diabetes in children aged zero to four years old. Toddlers and infants need extremely tiny doses of insulin, and standard insulin concentrations, known as U100, can make it very difficult to deliver such small amounts accurately without accidentally giving too much. Researchers compared diluted insulin at one-tenth the standard concentration, called U10, to standard U100 insulin in automated insulin delivery, or AID, systems. The results were encouraging: using diluted insulin helped reduce the amount of time these young children spent with dangerously low blood sugar, known as time below range, without sacrificing overall glucose control. This could represent an important safety improvement for one of the most vulnerable and hardest-to-treat populations in diabetes care.

Study 5: A Cellular Clue in Gestational Diabetes

This study, published in Food and Nutrition Research, explored a relatively new and complex mechanism in gestational diabetes mellitus, or GDM, which is diabetes that develops during pregnancy and is the most common form of diabetes seen in expectant mothers. Researchers focused on a protein called legumain and its potential role in promoting a type of cell death called ferroptosis, which is driven by oxidative stress and damage to cell membranes. They found that elevated legumain levels in women with GDM may interact with two key proteins, HSP90 and GPX4, to disrupt liver glucose production, a process called gluconeogenesis. While this research is highly technical, the implications are significant: better understanding of the molecular drivers of GDM could lead to new targeted therapies and diagnostic markers, ultimately helping to reduce the growing burden of gestational diabetes on mothers, babies, and healthcare systems worldwide.

Device News

The past year has brought meaningful advances in diabetes technology across CGM, insulin pumps, and connected meter systems. Dexcom's G8 sensor, which began rolling out in late 2025, offers an extended 21-day wear time and improved accuracy in the low glucose range, making it particularly useful for people prone to hypoglycemia and for parents managing diabetes in young children. Abbott's Lingo biosensor platform, originally launched for wellness users, has been refined and is now being studied for clinical use in type 2 diabetes management, with data integration into electronic health records being a key development feature.

On the insulin delivery side, Insulet's Omnipod 5 system received expanded pediatric labeling in early 2026, now approved for use in children as young as two years old in several markets, which aligns closely with the diluted insulin research highlighted above. Tandem Diabetes Care continued to expand its Mobi pump internationally, and their integration with the Dexcom G8 is expected to be finalized later this year. Meanwhile, several companies are pushing forward with patch-based, tubeless closed-loop systems designed to reduce wearable complexity for users who find traditional tubed pumps cumbersome.

For those who rely on traditional blood glucose meters, Ascensia Diabetes Care updated its Contour Next One app with new pattern recognition features and telehealth sharing capabilities, making it easier to flag trends and share data directly with a care team between appointments. Across the board, interoperability between devices continues to improve, and the push for open-source compatible systems remains a vibrant area of the diabetes technology community.

Clinical Trial Spotlight

Trial: Teplizumab for Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes in At-Risk Individuals

Researchers continue to enroll participants in ongoing studies evaluating teplizumab, an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody that has shown the ability to delay the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes in people who are at high risk but have not yet developed it. Teplizumab received FDA approval in late 2022 under the brand name Tzield and became the first drug ever approved to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes. Current trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov are studying its use in broader populations, including younger children and individuals in earlier stages of the autoimmune process, as well as exploring optimal dosing strategies.

If you or a family member has been identified as being at high genetic or immunological risk for type 1 diabetes, speaking with an endocrinologist about screening for existing trials may be worthwhile. Eligibility typically involves being between the ages of 8 and 45, having two or more positive diabetes-related autoantibodies, and showing early signs of abnormal glucose tolerance. To search for currently enrolling trials, visit ClinicalTrials.gov and search for teplizumab or stage 2 type 1 diabetes prevention.

FSA/Insurance Tip of the Week

If you have a Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account, now is a great time to review your balance and make sure you are on track to use your funds before your plan year ends. Many FSA plans operate on a calendar year, meaning any unused funds may be forfeited after December 31st. Diabetes supplies, including CGM sensors and transmitters, insulin pump supplies, lancets, test strips, and glucose tablets, are all FSA and HSA eligible expenses.

One often-overlooked tip: you can use your FSA or HSA funds to purchase a supply of backup testing strips and lancets even if you primarily use a CGM. Having a traditional meter on hand is important during sensor warm-up periods, when a sensor falls off, or during times when CGM readings need to be confirmed. Stocking up now with your pre-tax FSA dollars is a smart financial move and ensures you are never caught without supplies. If you are unsure about the eligibility of a specific product, most FSA administrators provide an online eligibility checker, or you can ask your benefits coordinator at work.

Supply Recommendation

This week we are highlighting the OneTouch Ultra Blue Blood Glucose Test Strips, available through MDS Diabetes. These strips are compatible with the widely used OneTouch Ultra series of meters and are known for their reliability, fast five-second results, and small blood sample requirement. Whether you are using them as your primary testing method or as a backup to your CGM system, having a dependable supply of test strips on hand is a cornerstone of safe diabetes management.

You can order the OneTouch Ultra Blue Test Strips directly from MDS Diabetes by visiting www.mdsdiabetes.com. MDS Diabetes offers competitive pricing, fast shipping, and knowledgeable customer service staff who understand the specific needs of people living with diabetes. Many orders qualify for insurance billing assistance as well, so be sure to ask about that option when you place your order.

Sign-Off

Thank you for reading this week's MDS Diabetes Encyclopedia Newsletter. We hope these research summaries, device updates, and practical tips help you feel more informed and confident in managing diabetes, whether your own or someone you love. The diabetes landscape is evolving rapidly, and staying current with the latest science and technology truly can make a difference in outcomes and quality of life.

As always, please consult with your endocrinologist or certified diabetes care and education specialist before making any changes to your treatment plan. The information in this newsletter is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.

We'll be back next week with more research, more tips, and more resources. Until then, take good care of yourselves and each other.

— The MDS Diabetes Encyclopedia Newsletter Team

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