New Tools for Type 1 Diabetes Management: What Recent Research Shows

For decades, people with Type 1 diabetes have relied on insulin injections or pumps to survive. A video report from CBS Evening News highlighted Afrezza, an inhaled insulin option that allows insulin to reach the bloodstream without a needle. The report featured Taysha Seargent, an eighth-grader with Type 1 diabetes who participated in a year-long research study. For many people, reducing or eliminating injections can ease the emotional and social burden of diabetes management, especially for young people who worry about using insulin in public.

Afrezza is not new—it was developed years ago—but it represents an important reminder that alternatives to traditional insulin delivery exist. However, like all diabetes treatments, inhaled insulin requires careful medical supervision and is not appropriate for everyone. Anyone considering this option should discuss it with their healthcare team.

Recent clinical trials have tested whether medications used for Type 2 diabetes could help people with Type 1 diabetes manage their condition more effectively. A 26-week study published in NEJM Evidence examined semaglutide—a medication given once weekly—in adults with Type 1 diabetes who were also using automated insulin delivery systems and had a body mass index of 30 or higher.

The results showed that semaglutide significantly improved outcomes. Thirty-six percent of people taking semaglutide achieved all three goals of the study: spending more than 70% of time with blood sugar between 70 and 180 mg/dL, staying below 70 mg/dL less than 4% of the time, and losing at least 5% of body weight. None of the people taking placebo achieved all three goals. On average, semaglutide users lost about 8.8 kg and spent 8.8 percentage points more time in their target blood sugar range compared to placebo.

Another medication, tirzepatide, is currently being tested in a clinical trial with 105 adults across Canada and Switzerland. Early research suggests tirzepatide may reduce insulin needs, lower appetite, slow digestion, and smooth blood sugar spikes after meals. If effective, it could reduce the need for carbohydrate counting—a major burden for many people with Type 1 diabetes who use insulin pumps.

Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems—often called 'artificial pancreas' technology—continue to improve. These systems use continuous glucose monitors and algorithms to adjust insulin delivery automatically, reducing the need for constant manual adjustments.

A 2025 position statement from the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) reviewed how AID systems work during physical activity and exercise. The authors noted that while AID systems have made it easier to reach blood sugar targets, exercise can still cause unpredictable glucose fluctuations. The statement provides detailed guidance for children, adolescents, and adults using AID technology during different types of physical activity, emphasizing that exercise is a cornerstone of diabetes care and should not be avoided.

For decades, researchers have pursued the goal of preventing or halting Type 1 diabetes by modifying the immune system. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, eventually destroying them.

Teplizumab, an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, represents a significant milestone. It was approved by the FDA in 2022 to delay the progression of Type 1 diabetes in high-risk patients. It is important to note that teplizumab delays onset—it is not a cure. People who receive teplizumab still develop Type 1 diabetes, but typically several months to years later than they would otherwise. This delay can provide valuable time and reduce complications.

Researchers continue to investigate other immunotherapies to prevent or treat Type 1 diabetes across different stages of the disease. While progress has been made, the field remains focused on realistic goals: slowing disease progression, reducing complications, and improving quality of life.

One experimental approach under investigation is islet cell transplantation—moving insulin-producing cells from a donor pancreas into a person with Type 1 diabetes. A clinical trial is evaluating Sernova's Cell Pouch, a novel implantable device designed to hold and support transplanted islets. The device is a scaffold made of non-degradable polymers that, when implanted near the abdominal muscle, becomes incorporated with blood vessels within weeks. After this incorporation, the device creates tissue chambers where islets can be transplanted.

This approach is being tested specifically in people with severe hypoglycemia unawareness and a history of dangerous low blood sugar episodes. While islet transplantation is not yet a standard treatment, it represents ongoing efforts to provide alternatives for people whose diabetes is particularly difficult to manage.

Origin: YouTube / CBS Evening News (Video report). Evidence: Video report, corroborated with 5 indexed studies. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.