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Diabetes News
Week of Sep 28-Oct 4, 2026
Welcome to The Diabetic Dose weekly diabetes-care news roundup: a short, sourced digest of what moved in type 1 diabetes (T1D) care, complications research, public health, advocacy, and the institutions that shape guidelines and journals.
We prioritize reputable primary or major secondary sources (ADA, Breakthrough T1D / formerly JDRF, CDC, NIH/NIDDK, Endocrine Society, FDA, Medscape Diabetes, and major health reporting). Each item includes a working link, a brief summary of what the source says, and one sentence on why it matters for people following T1D and diabetes care.
This week’s roundup
1. Early islet transplant trial: participants stop insulin with an experimental anti-rejection drug
Headline: Small early-stage trial pairs donor islet cells with an investigational anti-rejection medicine designed to have fewer side effects
Source: NBC News (Oct 4, 2026)
Summary: NBC News reports on an early clinical trial in which people with type 1 diabetes received transplanted islet cells along with an experimental drug intended to prevent transplant rejection with fewer side effects than standard anti-rejection regimens, and were able to stop taking insulin. The report says experts are cautiously optimistic and that more research is needed.
Why it matters: Rejection drugs are a big reason islet transplants are limited to a small group of people, so gentler options are worth watching. This is an early, small study, not an available treatment.
2. DARE trial: dual-hormone fully closed-loop beat injections plus CGM, but not hybrid closed loop
Headline: 12-month randomized trial of an insulin-plus-glucagon fully closed-loop system in adults with T1D
Source: The Lancet Regional Health – Europe (Oct 1, 2026)
Summary: This multicentre, open-label randomized trial compared a dual-hormone (insulin and glucagon) fully closed-loop system with multiple daily injections plus CGM, and with hybrid closed-loop therapy, in adults with type 1 diabetes over 12 months. Time in range improved versus injections plus CGM but not versus hybrid closed loop. Half of participants stopped using the dual-hormone system during the trial, mostly due to device burden and dissatisfaction with glucose control, and severe hypoglycemia events were more frequent in the dual-hormone group. No DKA occurred and no long-term glucagon safety concerns were identified.
Why it matters: “Fully automated” does not automatically mean better or easier to live with than today’s hybrid systems. Talk with your care team before changing devices.
3. Low-dose IL-2 did not preserve beta-cell function in newly diagnosed T1D
Headline: Randomized trial confirmed the immune target was hit, but C-peptide at 12 months was no different from placebo
Source: The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (published Oct 1, 2026)
Summary: Researchers randomized 141 people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes to one of two low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) regimens or placebo. IL-2 produced a strong, early expansion of regulatory T cells, but there was no significant difference in C-peptide (a marker of the body’s own insulin production) at 12 months. The treatment was well tolerated, and the authors suggest testing it earlier in the disease or in combination approaches.
Why it matters: Negative results help focus research on immune therapies that might actually preserve insulin production. A drug hitting its biological target is not the same as clinical benefit.
4. ADA survey: insulin and diabetes-care costs still rising for many households
Headline: 41% of surveyed households rationed, delayed, or skipped insulin or treatment due to cost in the past year
Source: American Diabetes Association (Oct 2, 2026)
Summary: The ADA’s 2026 National Access and Affordability Survey (conducted online June–July 2026) found that 46% of surveyed households spent more than $100 a month on insulin, 2 in 3 insulin users reported higher out-of-pocket insulin costs than in 2025, and 69% of technology users spent up to $200 a month out of pocket on devices. The ADA ties the findings to the bipartisan INSULIN Act of 2026 (S. 4189, H.R. 10227), which would cap monthly insulin costs at $35 for people with private or employer coverage.
Why it matters: Cost is a safety issue when it leads to rationing, and it shapes access to pumps and CGMs too. If cost is affecting your insulin use, raise it with your clinician or pharmacist.
5. ADA and EASD publish 2026 type 2 diabetes management consensus (T2D, not T1D)
Headline: Earlier medication use, earlier SGLT2 and GLP-1-based therapy, and broader attention to heart, kidney, liver, sleep, and mental health
Source: ADA news release (PDF) (Oct 2, 2026)
Summary: The ADA and EASD released a joint consensus report on managing type 2 diabetes in non-pregnant adults, published in Diabetes Care and Diabetologia and updating the 2022 version. Highlights include earlier intervention with glucose-lowering medicines, earlier use of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1-based therapies tailored to cardiovascular and kidney risk, more attention to conditions like heart failure, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and mental health, and an updated medication algorithm.
Why it matters: This pairs with last week’s adult T1D consensus and helps explain why T1D and T2D advice differ. Do not assume T2D guidance applies to T1D.
6. Model projects global T1D prevalence rising from 9.4 million to 12.2 million by 2049
Headline: EASD 2026 data: most people living with T1D are adults, and longer survival is driving prevalence up
Source: Medscape (Sep 29, 2026; EASD 2026, Milan)
Summary: Medscape reports DIAMOND-T1D model estimates presented at EASD 2026: the number of people living with type 1 diabetes worldwide is projected to grow from 9.4 million in 2025 to 12.2 million by 2049, with the largest incidence increases expected in low-income countries. The presenter attributes rising prevalence mainly to better survival thanks to CGMs, pumps, modern insulins, and complication care. The same article also covers the Colorado youth incidence data featured in last week’s roundup.
Why it matters: Planning for more adults with T1D affects clinic capacity, adult-onset diagnosis, and technology access. Population projections are not a personal risk estimate.
7. Phase 3 trial of oral add-on cadisegliatin completes enrollment
Headline: 166 adults randomized in CATT1; topline results expected mid-2027
Source: vTv Therapeutics via GlobeNewswire (Oct 5, 2026; company press release)
Summary: vTv Therapeutics announced it finished enrolling the Phase 3 CATT1 study of cadisegliatin, an investigational once- or twice-daily oral liver-selective glucokinase activator being tested as an add-on to insulin in adults with T1D who use CGM. The six-month placebo-controlled trial’s primary endpoint is level 2 and level 3 hypoglycemia, with A1c, time in range, and DKA incidence as secondary endpoints. The company states safety and efficacy have not been established.
Why it matters: Adjunct therapies that reduce hypoglycemia are a real unmet need in T1D. This is a company announcement about enrollment, not results.
Quick TLDR
- Islet trial: participants off insulin with an experimental, gentler anti-rejection drug; early and small (NBC, Oct 4).
- DARE dual-hormone closed loop: better than injections plus CGM, not better than hybrid closed loop; half stopped (Oct 1).
- Low-dose IL-2 did not preserve beta-cell function in new-onset T1D (Oct 1).
- ADA affordability survey: 41% rationed, delayed, or skipped insulin or care due to cost (Oct 2).
- ADA/EASD T2D consensus updated for 2026; T2D only (Oct 2).
- Global T1D projected to reach 12.2 million people by 2049 (EASD, Sep 29).
- Cadisegliatin Phase 3 fully enrolled; results mid-2027 (Oct 5).
Earlier: Week of Sep 21-27, 2026
Encellin partners with Breakthrough T1D to advance immune-protected cell therapy
Source: Breakthrough T1D (Sep 22, 2026)
Breakthrough T1D and Encellin announced a partnership and a 24-month, $2.5 million Industry Discovery and Development Partnership award to advance Encellin’s ENCRT-103-hPI encapsulated cell replacement program.
HHS and FDA seek public input on access to deceased donor islet cell treatments
Source: U.S. HHS (Sep 23, 2026) · Federal Register RFI listed Sep 24, 2026 (Docket FDA-2026-N-10738)
HHS, through the FDA, released a Request for Information on improving patient access to deceased donor islet cells and cell products used to treat type 1 diabetes.
NIDDK and Breakthrough T1D convene public workshop on translating T1D cell therapies
Source: NIDDK workshop page (Sep 22-23, 2026) · Breakthrough T1D recap (Sep 23, 2026)
NIDDK and Breakthrough T1D co-hosted a Sep 22-23 public workshop titled “Accelerating the Translation of Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes,” with FDA participation on the planning committee and agenda.
Clinical press digests the international T1D screening consensus; ADA still recommends targeted screening
Source: Medscape (Sep 25, 2026) · consensus paper in Diabetologia (Sep 10, 2026)
Medscape reports on the Breakthrough T1D-convened international consensus for general-population islet-autoantibody screening, including suggested pediatric ages of 2-4, then 6-8, then 10-15 if negative, with infrastructure for confirmation and monitoring listed as a prerequisite.
Colorado registry finds rising new-onset type 1 and type 2 diabetes in youth
Source: Healio Endocrinology (Sep 25, 2026) · abstract for EASD Annual Meeting, Milan, Sep 28-Oct 2, 2026
Healio reports Colorado Diabetes Registry data covering children and adolescents from 2002 to 2023.
ADA and EASD publish updated 2026 consensus on managing type 1 diabetes in adults
Source: Diabetologia (published Sep 16, 2026; open access)
The American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes published an updated 2026 consensus report on managing type 1 diabetes in adults.
FDA approves once-weekly basal insulin Onswik for adults with type 2 diabetes (not T1D)
Source: Healio Endocrinology (Sep 24, 2026)
Healio reports FDA approval of insulin efsitora alfa-gobe (Onswik, Lilly) as a once-weekly basal insulin for adults with type 2 diabetes, based on the QWINT phase 3 program.
Earlier: Week of Sep 14-20, 2026
FDA approves finerenone for CKD in adults with T1D
Source: Breakthrough T1D (Sep 17, 2026) · Medscape · Pharmaceutical Executive
First new approved therapy in about 30 years for CKD associated with T1D; once-daily oral nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist reducing UACR (FINE-ONE and prior T2D CKD data cited).
FDA clears Beta Bionics Mint tubeless insulin patch pump
Source: Medscape / Healio (Sep 15, 2026) · FDA 510(k) K260001
Tubeless reusable/disposable patch pump cleared; full U.S. pharmacy-channel launch aimed at Q1 2027.
CDC National Diabetes Statistics Report updates T1D prevalence
Source: CDC (page updated Sep 16, 2026)
An estimated 2.1 million people in the U.S. have diagnosed type 1 diabetes (1.8M adults ≥20; 314,000 <20).
NIDDK/NHLBI DMICC meeting on T1D cardiorenal outcomes trials
Source: NIDDK (Sep 18, 2026)
Federal meeting on designing a practice-changing T1D heart-kidney outcomes trial.
International consensus on general-population T1D screening
Source: Breakthrough T1D / Diabetologia (Sep 10, 2026)
Framework for islet-autoantibody screening in the general population (see this week’s Medscape follow-up for clinical reaction).
INSULIN Act affordability legislation advances
Source: Endocrine Society / EndoForum (Sep 15, 2026)
Senate HELP Committee passage reported; House companion introduced earlier in September. Legislation status can change.
Earlier: Week of Sep 15-19, 2026
FDA approves finerenone for CKD in adults with T1D
Source: Breakthrough T1D (Sep 17, 2026) · Medscape
First new approved therapy in about 30 years for CKD associated with T1D (see Sep 14-20 archive for more detail).
International consensus on general-population T1D screening
Source: Breakthrough T1D / Diabetologia (Sep 10, 2026)
Framework for islet-autoantibody screening in the general population.
CDC and Ad Council relaunch “Undo It” prediabetes PSAs
Source: Ad Council (Sep 15, 2026)
National campaign notes more than 2 in 5 U.S. adults have prediabetes; risk test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Prediabetes messaging is about type 2 prevention.
Diabetes Care / ADA governance dispute and professional boycott
Source: Healio (Sep 11) · Retraction Watch (Sep 14)
Reporting on a boycott of ADA activities after a disputed review of June Scientific Sessions removals; ADA stated journal processes continue.
Breakthrough T1D funds T1D Cures Accelerator with HESI Global
Source: Breakthrough T1D (Sep 8/10, 2026)
Precompetitive consortium aimed at biomarker discovery to speed T1D therapy trials.
INSULIN Act affordability legislation advances
Source: Endocrine Society / EndoForum (Sep 15, 2026)
Senate HELP Committee passage reported; House companion introduced earlier in September. Legislation status can change.
FDA authorizes first dual continuous glucose-ketone wearable
Source: U.S. FDA (Aug 25, 2026)
Libre Duo 10 Day authorized for continuous ketone and glucose monitoring (availability and coverage still depend on launch and clinician guidance).
How we build this roundup
- Prefer primary org statements and major clinical news outlets over unverified social posts.
- Summarize only what the linked source states; if two sides disagree, we note both.
- No invented efficacy claims, no dosing advice, no “you should start X.”
- URLs were checked at compile time; publishers sometimes move pages. Use the title and date if a link breaks.