Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives

In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and co-director of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, discuss major diabetes technology updates alongside key technology-related changes in the 2026 American Diabetes Association Standards of Care. The conversation highlights how rapidly evolving devices and updated guidelines are converging to reduce treatment burden and expand access to advanced diabetes management tools.

The discussion opens with updates from Dexcom, notably the launch of the Dexcom G7 15-day sensor, which incorporates an updated algorithm and is already integrating with Omnipod 5 and iLet systems, with Tandem integration expected soon. The hosts also address the announcement that the Dexcom G6 will be retired in July 2026, acknowledging the emotional and practical challenges this poses for patients who prefer the G6’s connectivity and perceived accuracy. While the transition may be difficult for some, the longer wear time and algorithm improvements of the G7 are framed as an opportunity to reassess CGM options and prepare thoughtfully for change.

Attention then shifts to Omnipod 5, with anticipation around a forthcoming software update planned for 2026. This update will introduce a lower glucose target of 100 mg/dL, down from 110 mg/dL, and significantly reduce automated-mode “kick-outs.” The hosts emphasize that minimizing time out of automated insulin delivery is critical for improving time in range and lowering patient burden, noting that excessive safety-driven exits can paradoxically worsen glycemic control.

A substantial portion of the episode is devoted to technology-focused updates in the 2026 ADA Standards of Care, reflecting Bellini’s perspective as a guideline committee member. Key changes include the removal of C-peptide and autoantibody requirements as barriers to insulin pump and automated insulin delivery (AID) access, reinforcing that insulin use, not diabetes type, should guide eligibility. The guidelines now include a Level A recommendation for AID use in type 2 diabetes, supported by recent clinical trial data and regulatory approvals. Additional updates expand support for CGM use during pregnancy beyond type 1 diabetes, reduce reliance on confirmatory fingerstick language, and strengthen recommendations for connected insulin pens for individuals on multiple daily injections when AID is not preferred or feasible.

The episode concludes with discussion of expanded guidance on open-source AID systems, underscoring the importance of clinician understanding and patient support regardless of FDA approval status. Collectively, Isaacs and Bellini frame the 2026 updates as a decisive step toward earlier, broader, and more individualized use of diabetes technology across care settings.

Relevant disclosures for Isaacs include Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Abbott Diabetes Care, Dexcom, Medtronic, and others. Relevant disclosures for Bellini include Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Provention Bio, and others.

References:

In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and co-director of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, share early impressions of topline phase 3 results from the TRIUMPH-4 trial of retatrutide, a once-weekly triple agonist targeting GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors. 
Recorded from the ADCES Technology Conference, the conversation frames retatrutide as a potential next step beyond current GLP-1 and dual incretin options, while emphasizing that detailed trial data remain pending.

TRIUMPH-4 was a phase 3 study enrolling patients with obesity and osteoarthritis. Topline data suggests participants receiving retatrutide 12 mg achieved a mean weight loss of 28.7% at 68 weeks. Among this population, the trial also reported a 75.8% reduction in WOMAC pain scores from baseline, with approximately 1 in 8 participants reporting complete pain freedom at week 68. Isaacs highlights how striking these figures are in light of the already high bar set by semaglutide and tirzepatide, noting that confirmation in phase 3 heightens anticipation for full publications and future readouts.

The hosts connect these findings to evolving clinical priorities reflected in the American Diabetes Association’s expanding attention to obesity-related comorbidities, including osteoarthritis, MASLD/MASH, sleep apnea, and kidney disease. They note the broader retatrutide phase 3 program includes studies in type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, chronic low back pain, MASLD/MASH, and planned cardiovascular and renal outcomes trials. Isaacs underscores the ongoing question of whether benefits across these conditions will be primarily molecule-specific or largely driven by the magnitude of weight loss, particularly given the inclusion of glucagon receptor activity.

Safety is discussed cautiously, given the limited nature of top-line disclosures. The hosts note that discontinuation due to adverse events appeared higher with retatrutide than placebo, and they emphasize the need for full reporting on gastrointestinal tolerability and other adverse events. Bellini also points to an intriguing subgroup signal suggesting lower discontinuation rates among participants with higher baseline BMI, while acknowledging this could reflect chance in a modestly sized trial population.

Overall, Isaacs and Bellini characterize retatrutide’s TRIUMPH-4 update as an important milestone, while stressing that interpretation should remain measured until complete efficacy and safety data are available.

Relevant disclosures for Isaacs include Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Abbott Diabetes Care, Dexcom, Medtronic, and others. Relevant disclosures for Bellini include Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Provention Bio, and others.

References:

In this episode, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, breakdown recent trial news from the 2 most popular incretin therapies: semaglutide and tirzepatide. First, hosts breakdown the November 24, 2025 announcement from Novo Nordisk disclosing their evoke and evoke+ trials of oral semaglutide in early symptomatic Alzheimer Disease failed to slow disease progression. Next, hosts break down the TIRTLE study, which examined use of tirzepatide in patients with type 1 diabetes.

Semaglutide Misses Mark in Alzheimer Disease
Novo Nordisk announced top-line results from the evoke and evoke+ phase 3 trials showing oral semaglutide 14 mg did not slow disease progression over 2 years in adults with early symptomatic Alzheimerdisease, with no significant difference in CDR-SB change versus placebo. Despite improvements in Alzheimer-related biomarkers across both studies, neither trial demonstrated a slowing of clinical decline.

evoke was a global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolling 1,855 participants aged 55–85 with amyloid-positive CDR 0.5 MCI or CDR 1.0 mild dementia, treated 1:1 with semaglutide or placebo for 104 weeks plus a planned 52-week extension. evoke+ mirrored this design, randomizing 1,953 participants with the same eligibility criteria to daily semaglutide 14 mg or placebo for a total planned duration of 156 weeks.

Findings from the trials will be presented at the 2025 Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) conference on December 3, 2025. The lack of efficacy led to discontinuation of the planned 1-year extension period across both trials, though safety and tolerability remained consistent with prior semaglutide experience in diabetes and obesity.

TIRTLE: Tirzepatide Shows Benefit in Type 1 Diabetes
In a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of 24 adults with type 1 diabetes and BMI >30 kg/m², tirzepatide produced a 10.3-kg mean weight loss versus 0.7 kg on placebo, an −8.7-kg treatment difference (P < 0.0001) corresponding to 8.8% total body weight reduction.

All tirzepatide-treated participants achieved ≥5% weight loss, and 45% achieved ≥10%, compared with 9% and 0% in the placebo group. Eligibility criteria required patients to be 18 years of age or older, with confirmed type 1 diabetes, obesity (BMI >30), and stable insulin therapy. Tirzepatide also improved glycemic control, reducing HbA1c by 0.4%, and decreased total daily insulin dose by 35% relative to placebo (−24.2 vs −0.3 units/day). Safety data suggested no significant adverse events occurred, with 22 of the 24 participants completing the study.

Relevant disclosures for Isaacs include Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Abbott Diabetes Care, Dexcom, Medtronic, and others. Relevant disclosures for Bellini include Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Provention Bio, and others.

References:

In this episode, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, review two major developments in diabetes care: the forthcoming 15-day Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and significant new price reductions for semaglutide as Ozempic and Wegovy.

Key Episode Timestamps
00:00:01 Introduction
00:00:30 Dexcom G7
00:01:55 A 15-Day Sensor With a 12-Hour Grace Period
00:04:27 Seamless transition to the new G7
00:05:23 Looking back at Dexcom's advancements
00:06:34 Dexcom's Smart Basal feature
00:10:34 Price cuts for semaglutide - Wegovy and Ozempic
00:14:54 Cheaper GLP-1s on the pharmacies' end
00:20:33 Outro

In this episode, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, meet in person at the Diabetes Technology Meeting (DTM) in San Francisco to discuss the latest clinical and regulatory advances surrounding semaglutide.

Key Episode Timestamps

00:00:01 Introduction

00:00:42 Oral semaglutide's FDA approval

00:02:02 The SOUL trial and Rybelsus's cardiovascular indication

00:03:35 Dosing for Rybelsus

00:06:18 The SELECT trial

00:08:29 Can GLP-1s be cardiovascular treatments?

00:14:08 Outro

Welcome back to Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives!
In this episode, cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, explore 3 significant developments shaping diabetes care: a novel glucose-sensing technology, the return of once-weekly insulin icodec to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and changes to Eli Lilly’s metabolic research pipeline.
00:00:01 Introduction
00:00:18 The Biolinq Shine
00:05:59 The Practicality of Monitoring Glucose
00:06:55 Wishlist for the Biolinq's Future
00:08:38 Insulin Icodec Resubmission
00:10:21 Benefits of Once-Weekly Insulin
00:14:00 International Success Stories
00:15:28 Eli Lilly Cancels Bimagrumab for T2D
00:18:36 Bimagrumab Still in Testing for Obesity
00:22:49 Outro

In this milestone 150th episode of Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, and Real-World Perspectives, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and co-director of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, reflect on three and a half years of transformation in diabetes care and the evolution of their podcast since its launch in early 2022. What began as a modest plan for monthly discussions rapidly expanded into a weekly forum driven by an ever-accelerating pace of clinical innovation and the hosts’ shared enthusiasm for translating emerging science into practice.

Welcome back to Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives!

In this episode, cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, sit down with Bob Vigersky, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic Diabetes, to discuss major developments in diabetes technology, regulatory approvals, and the company’s future direction.

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:27 Background of Bob Vigersky, MD
00:02:40 Updates from Medtronic Diabetes
00:08:02 The Instinct Sensor
00:10:20 Calibrating New Devices
00:12:27 Moving to Type 2
00:15:00 Bolusing with New Devices
00:17:39 Looking Down the Pipeline
00:22:07 Prescribing the MiniMed
00:35:45 Outro

Welcome back to Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives!

In this episode, cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospital Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, discuss the recently published results of the ATTAIN-1 and STEP UP clinical trials, both of which were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Conference.

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:32 ATTAIN-1
00:04:07 GLP-1s as a Daily Pill
00:08:20 Possible Lower GLP-1 Prices
00:09:03 STEP UP
00:11:41 Cardiovascular Protection with GLP-1s
00:12:48 GI Side Effects of Semaglutide 7.2
00:16:16 3 Times the Dose, 3 Times the Cardiovascular Protection?
00:17:20 Outro

In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, and Real-World Perspectives, cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, breakdown recent diabetes technology updates from late August and early September 2025.