New Research Is Expanding Treatment Options for Type 1 Diabetes

A recent clinical trial tested semaglutide, a once-weekly medication approved for Type 2 diabetes and weight management, in adults with Type 1 diabetes who also have obesity. The 26-week study included 72 adults using automated insulin delivery systems.

Adults who received semaglutide were significantly more likely to achieve multiple goals at once: keeping blood sugar in a healthy range more than 70% of the time, experiencing fewer very low blood sugar episodes, and losing at least 5% of their body weight. Thirty-six percent of people in the semaglutide group achieved all three goals, compared to none in the placebo group.

The study found that semaglutide also produced modest improvements in long-term blood sugar control and greater time spent in the target glucose range. On average, people taking semaglutide lost 8.8 kilograms (about 19 pounds) compared to those receiving placebo. The medication was generally safe, with similar rates of low blood sugar events in both groups and no cases of diabetic ketoacidosis reported.

This research suggests semaglutide may help some people with Type 1 diabetes, but it is not approved for this use yet. More research will be needed before doctors can determine who might benefit most from this approach.

Automated insulin delivery systems—also called insulin pumps—have made it easier for people with Type 1 diabetes to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. However, physical activity and exercise can still cause unexpected blood sugar changes that challenge these systems.

Leading diabetes organizations in Europe recently released detailed guidance on how to use automated insulin delivery systems during and around exercise. The position statement reviews the latest evidence and provides practical advice for children, adolescents, and adults managing Type 1 diabetes with pump technology.

The guidance addresses how different people respond differently to physical activity and offers tailored strategies for each age group to keep blood sugar within the target range during and after exercise. As more clinical trials study this topic, doctors and patients have better tools to optimize pump settings based on individual activity patterns.

Living with Type 1 diabetes requires constant decision-making and management, which can lead to emotional stress—a condition known as diabetes distress. A new clinical trial is testing whether cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), delivered by video, can help reduce this burden.

The study combines CBT with continuous glucose monitor data review to help young adults ages 18-64 manage both the emotional and practical challenges of Type 1 diabetes. Researchers hypothesize that combining therapy focused on diabetes stress with continuous glucose monitoring may improve both emotional well-being and blood sugar control compared to monitoring alone.

This approach reflects growing recognition that mental health and diabetes management are closely connected. The trial will recruit nearly 100 adults, with targeted outreach to racial and ethnic minority communities, over a four-year period.

An updated global assessment found that approximately 9.5 million people were living with Type 1 diabetes in 2025, an increase from 8.4 million in 2021. In lower-income countries, the number of people with Type 1 diabetes increased by 20% over that same period.

New diagnoses continue to rise: about 513,000 people were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2025, with incidence increasing by 2.4% in the past year. Children and young adults remain the most commonly affected age groups, with 164,000 new cases in children ages 0-14 and 58,000 in ages 15-19.

Premature deaths from Type 1 diabetes remain a concern worldwide, with an estimated 174,000 deaths occurring globally. About 17% of these deaths are attributed to late diagnosis or lack of diagnosis soon after symptoms appear. The projected global population with Type 1 diabetes is expected to reach 14.7 million by 2040.

One of the most challenging aspects of managing Type 1 diabetes with an insulin pump is carbohydrate counting—accurately estimating the carbohydrates in each meal to deliver the correct insulin dose. A new clinical trial is testing whether tirzepatide, a medication approved for Type 2 diabetes and weight management, could reduce or eliminate the need for this careful calculation.

Tirzepatide works through multiple mechanisms that may benefit Type 1 diabetes: it can lower appetite, slow digestion, reduce insulin needs, and help smooth blood sugar spikes after eating. Early research suggests these properties might simplify insulin pump use for people with Type 1 diabetes.

The trial will include 105 adults with Type 1 diabetes at research centers in Canada and Switzerland, all using the Tandem Control-IQ automated insulin delivery system. If successful, this approach could significantly reduce the daily burden of diabetes management for many people, though tirzepatide is not yet approved for Type 1 diabetes and results are still pending.

Origin: YouTube / Adeline Lambert- Associate BrokerREALTOR® (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.