In the News... BIG beta cell transplant news, a new pump team-up, FDA moves on GLP-1 compounds, and more!
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
Release Date: 01/10/2025
RV Life with T1D: Chris & Amanda on Full-Time Family Travel
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
This week on Diabetes Connections, a look into the RV Life... with type 1. I’m talking to Chris and Amanda Stocker – Chris lives with T1D as does one of two children – and they’ve been living the RV Life since 2021. If you’ve ever thought about living full time in an RV… with diabetes.. we are answering all those questions. What does it look like? How do you visit the doctor? Where do you store everything? And why do they love it. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Learn more Join us...
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T1D, Connection, and People Magazine: Elise & Zach share their story
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
A story from People Magazine was all over my feed in February.. you may have seen the headline: "Young Couple with Diabetes Meet Online from 3,000 Miles Away." It’s a very cute story, but it speaks to the larger diabetes community – issues of connection, positive depictions of T1D in media, and the idea that googling diabetes doesn’t have to bring up depressing or outdated medical advice. I’m talking to Elise and Zach about the rest of their story. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. More about ...
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In the News... New research in T1D prevention, fast-acting biosimilar insulin approved, Lilly lowers Zepbound price, and more!
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: New drug is looked at for T1D prevention, a new stem cell method is tested for beta cell transplanation without immunosuppresion drugs, the FDA okays the first fast-acting biosimilar insulin, Lilly lowers price of Zepbound, and more! Find out more about Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about from extreme temperatures Learn more about Drive The best way to keep up with Stacey and...
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“Above the Bias” - How Diabetes Stigma Hurts Health & What We Can Do
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
This week on Diabetes Connections, an episode we want you to share with family and friends who don't have any kind of diabetes. We all know that bias and stereotypes about diabetes can be bad for your health. Diabetes stigma is an ongoing issue.. and a new survey and campaign looks to spotlight just how it impacts health. I’m talking about Abbott’s recent Above the Bias campaign… with a diabetes clinical psychologist.. what needs to change how can we make things better Here's the More about This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions,...
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Bonus Episode: AMA Panel with Kerri Sparling & Kenny Rodenheiser – Honest, Smart & Funny Conversations About Life with T1D
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
It’s a bonus episode of Diabetes Connections! We’ve got an Ask Me Anything panel with two incredible advocates. Kerri Sparling and Kenny Rodenheiser talk about everything from independence, to their support systems, communication around type 1, mental health, burnout and more. It’s smart and honest and funny – and even after 18 years of parenting a child with type 1 – I find these talks incredible helpful. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Learn Join us at Please visit...
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Diabetes Camp in 2025: What Parents Need to Know
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
Let’s talk about camp! It’s February but signups for most diabetes summer camps are open now and I know parents have a lot of questions. I’m talking with two camp directors, both with the American Diabetes Association, about keeping up with technology changes, misconceptions around diabetes camp, the top questions they get from parents, and lots more. My guests this week are Emily Madison and Monica Montgomery, both camp directors for the ADA. This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Our Other Join...
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Diabetes Tech Hype vs. Reality: A Candid Talk with David Kliff
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
When we hear about exciting diabetes tech and groundbreaking advances, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. But what’s really coming, and what’s just wishful thinking? This week, we’re talking to David Kliff, publisher of Diabetic Investor and host of The Wacky World of Diabetes podcast. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an adult in 1996, David has spent decades analyzing the business of diabetes, consulting with top industry players, and contributing to outlets like Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. Known for his sharp analysis—and sometimes brutal honesty—David shares...
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In the News... FDA warns about smartphone medical alerts, new tubeless pumps in the works, T1D at the Super Bowl... and more!
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: the FDA has a warning about smart phones and medical alerts, a few companies turn their attention to patch pumps, a new study looks at costs/benefits of CGM vs Fingerstick during pregnancy, T1D in the Super Bowl.. and more! Find out more about Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about from extreme temperatures Learn more about Drive The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by...
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The Power of Giving: Can Helping Others Improve YOUR Diabetes Health?
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
This week on Diabetes Connections, we’re exploring a groundbreaking approach to diabetes care that’s not just about providing treatment—but also about understanding the impact of giving. Unbound is leading a unique study to see if generosity and connection can improve health outcomes for both the donor and the recipient. I’m talking to Dan Pearson, Chief International Program Officer, about the study, who they’re looking for, and what they hope to learn Learn This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care...
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Type 1 Diabetes and Down Syndrome: Navigating A Double Diagnosis
Diabetes Connections | Type 1 Diabetes
This week on Diabetes Connections… people with Down Syndrome are more likely to develop diabetes than the general population. It’s not really known why.. but having that double diagnosis brings unique challenges. I’m talking to Rhonda Gray – her son Trevor was diagnosed at age 8 (2010) and is now in his early 20s. What does T1D management look like with Down syndeom s? What does it mean for independence, holding a job, all the usual concerns. And How did Nick Jonas spark a big change for Trevor? This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions,...
info_outlineIt's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: Sana announces beta cell transplantation without the need for immunosuppresion drugs, Modular Medical teams up with Nudge BG for a brand new completely closed-loop system, the FDA moves forward to crack down on compounded Ozempic and Mounjaro, Dexcom and Abbott bury the legal hatchett for a while, and more.
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Episode transcription with links:
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and every other Friday I bring you a short episode with the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now.
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Big news from Sana Biotechnology. Their first in human study of islet cells without any immunosuppression appears to be a success.
This is very early and hasn’t yet been peer reviewed and published.. but after four weeks, there were no safety issues and the transplanted beta cells were producing insulin.
Sana’s CEO says
“As far as we are aware, this is the first study showing survival of an allogeneic transplant with no immunosuppression or immune-protective device in a fully immune competent individual. Safe cell transplantation without immunosuppression has the potential to transform the treatment of type 1 diabetes and a number of other diseases.”
I’ve reached out to Sana to get more on this.. love to talk to them soon.
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FDA says no for sotagliflozin as an adjunct to insulin therapy for glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Studies showed a meaningful reduction in A1C but a meaningful increase in DKA.
The FDA first rejected this in 2019 and was resubmitted last summer. But The advisory committee voted 11 to 3 against the approval of sotagliflozin stating that the benefits of sotagliflozin do not outweight the risks in adults with T1D and CKD.
Sotagliflozin is currently approved under the brand name Inpefa to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, and urgent heart failure visit in adults with 1) heart failure; or 2) type 2 diabetes mellitus, CKD, and other cardiovascular risk factors. According to Lexicon, Inpefa will continue to be manufactured and made available to patients.
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Two companies we’ve been following are teaming up.. Modular Medical has an FDA clear patch pump and Nudge BG has an adaptive full closed loop. They’ve announced a new partnership agreement. From the release:
Modular Medical's easy-to-use and cost-effective MODD1 insulin pump technology. Our combined system is intended to nudge blood glucose by making small changes to insulin delivery based on estimated glucose inputs from a continuous glucose monitor."
Familiar name to some of you, Lane Desborough is the founder of Nudge BG. He says this will be a fully automated system, no mealtime bolusing needed.
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Beta Bionics filed for an initial public offering on Monday. The company did not disclose the number of shares it will offer or the price range. Beta Bionics plans for shares to be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “BBNX.” The Irvine, California-based company makes an insulin pump called the iLet Bionic Pancreas, which was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in 2023. Beta Bionics plans to use the proceeds to grow its sales and manufacturing infrastructure and develop new features for its device.
https://www.medtechdive.com/news/beta-bionics-insulin-pump-files-ipo/736805/
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Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. signed a multi-year collaboration agreement with the University of Virginia Center for Diabetes Technology (UVA) to advance research and development efforts on fully automated closed-loop insulin delivery systems.
There’s a long history here – UVA is where the Control IQ algorithm was developed. This agreement seems to keep the team together for another decade.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250107162995/en/Tandem-Diabetes-Care-Enters-Multi-Year-Research-Collaboration-with-UVA-Center-for-Diabetes-Technology-for-Development-of-Advanced-Insulin-Delivery-Systems
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New study says insulin is still the best treatment for gestational diabetes, compared to oral glucose-lowering medications. Metformin and gluburide are being closely looked at since they're easier to administer, less costly, and have better acceptance among patients. But this study says insulin was a bit better – slight more babies were born larger for the metformin group, and more moms had hypoglycemia.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/pregnancy/113651
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In its Citizen Petition to the FDA, Novo Nordisk argued that there is no clinical need to allow compounding for liraglutide, the type 2 diabetes injection it sells as Victoza.
Novo Nordisk last month filed a Citizen Petition with the FDA asking the federal agency to exclude its type 2 diabetes injection Victoza (liraglutide) from a proposed list of drugs eligible for compounding.
https://www.biospace.com/fda/novo-launches-citizen-petition-to-block-compounded-victoza
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Bit of an update on compounded terzepatide and semaglutide. The FDA is allowing a grace period of 60 days before starting to enforce the end of allowing compounds of Mounjaro.
Meanwhile, semaglutide remains on the FDA’s shortage list for several dose strengths, though all doses have been reported as “available” since late October 2024.
Compounding pharmacies, especially larger 503B “outsourcing facilities,” maintain they provide an essential public service by offering lower-cost versions of medications that can cost over $1,000 per month. Many insurers still refuse to cover brand-name GLP-1 products for weight loss. Yet the FDA has reported hundreds of adverse event reports allegedly linked to compounded versions of these drugs, which do not undergo the same rigorous manufacturing inspections and clinical testing as approved brands.
https://www.drugdiscoverytrends.com/compounders-and-drugmakers-clash-over-compounded-weight-loss-drugs-with-fda-in-the-middle/
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Interesting story here.. this study says a fecal transplant can help people with type 1 and severe gastroenteropathy. The researchers say diabetic gastroenteropathy commonly affects individuals with type 1 diabetes, causing debilitating symptoms like nausea, vomiting, bloating, and diarrhea; however, treatment options remain limited.
Researchers conducted a novel clinical trial to test the benefits of FMT in adult patients with type 1 diabetes and severe symptoms of gastroenteropathy, who were randomly assigned to receive either FMT or placebo capsules as the first intervention.
After four weeks, Compared with placebo, FMT led to significant changes in the diversity of the gut microbiome.
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A couple of weeks ago, listeners told me that the Dexcom geofencing issue we reported on seems to be resolved. Dexcom is now confirming this. Previously, if you had an issue with Dexcom G7 outside of your home country, you couldn’t reinstall or use the app without customer support. As of last month, the geofencing issue has now been resolved with the latest Dexcom G7 2.6 app update.
Can I travel with my Dexcom G7? | Dexcom
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Abbott and Dexcom settled all patent lawsuits related to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). The two competitors, who lead the U.S. market for CGMs, agreed on Dec. 20 to resolve all outstanding patent disputes and not sue each other over patents for 10 years.
Dexcom and Abbott previously reached a settlement in 2014 related to their diabetes devices, which included a cross-licensing deal and an agreement not to sue each other until 2021. After that agreement expired, the companies filed a volley of patent lawsuits.
https://www.medtechdive.com/news/abbott-dexcom-settle-cgm-patent-lawsuits/736300/