Who can take part in the CO-PILOT trial?

The trial is looking for young people aged 7 to 25 with type 1 diabetes and an HbA1c of 8.5% or above who have never used an automated insulin delivery system. It is a multicenter trial registered in Australia and New Zealand.

What does HbA1c measure and why does it matter?

HbA1c is a blood test that shows your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. A level of 8.5% or higher means blood sugar has been consistently too high, which increases the risk of long-term complications like kidney, eye, and nerve damage.

Will participants using standard care be left without the new technology?

No. After the first 13 weeks, participants in the standard care group will cross over and receive the MiniMed 780G closed-loop system. Everyone in the trial will eventually have access to the technology.

CO-PILOT Trial: Closed-Loop Insulin Tech for Kids

Key takeaways

✓Targets a high-need group — young people with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes
✓Uses the advanced MiniMed 780G system, which automatically adjusts insulin in real time
✓Measures both physical outcomes (HbA1c, glucose levels) and quality-of-life factors like sleep and mental wellbeing
✓Includes a long follow-up phase of up to 52 weeks total for comprehensive data
✓Control group eventually gets access to the technology, so no participant misses out

Quick specs

Journal	Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
Year	2024
PMID	38932805

What Is This Study About?

This article describes the plan (protocol) for a clinical trial called CO-PILOT, which is testing whether an advanced automated insulin delivery system — the MiniMed 780G — can help children and young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who are struggling to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.

Why Does This Matter?

Children and teenagers with T1D often have higher-than-recommended HbA1c levels, which means their blood sugar is frequently too high. This raises the risk of serious long-term complications. Managing insulin manually — through multiple daily injections or a traditional pump — is hard work, especially for young people. Advanced hybrid closed-loop (AHCL) systems automatically adjust insulin delivery based on real-time glucose readings, potentially making management easier and safer.

Who Is In the Trial?

The study is enrolling 80 participants aged 7 to 25 years who:

Have type 1 diabetes
Have an HbA1c of 8.5% or higher (meaning blood sugar is poorly controlled)
Have never used an automated insulin delivery system before

How Does the Trial Work?

Participants are randomly placed into one of two groups:

AHCL group: Uses the MiniMed 780G closed-loop system
Control group: Continues with standard care (injections or traditional pump)

After 13 weeks, the main goal is to see how much HbA1c has changed. Researchers will also look at time spent in target glucose range, sleep quality, mental wellbeing, and device safety. After the initial 13 weeks, the control group will switch to the AHCL system and everyone will continue for a further 39 weeks, giving longer-term data.

What Are Researchers Hoping to Find?

The trial aims to show that AHCL technology can become the gold standard treatment for children and young adults who are finding it hardest to manage their diabetes — improving not just blood sugar, but also quality of life and reducing the daily burden of diabetes management.

References & Sources

Frequently asked questions

A closed-loop system, sometimes called an artificial pancreas, uses a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump that communicate with each other. The system automatically adjusts how much insulin is delivered based on your real-time blood sugar levels, reducing the need for constant manual decisions.

Editorial note

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your diabetes management. Last reviewed: July 16, 2026 by the MDS Diabetes editorial team.

What to do next

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Closed-Loop Insulin Tech Tested in Kids With High HbA1c