Top stories In the News this week, United Healthcare announces changes to how they cover insulin for some, a new study looks at CGM use in people with type 2 over the age of 65, another company begins islet cell clinical trials, a new tool to treat diabetic neuropathy pain, gestational diabetes is on the rise, and more.
Learn more about the T1D Exchange: https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
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Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days.
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In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Our top story.. United Healthcare says it will have no “out of pocket” expenses for insulin starting January first. It’s doing the same for other critical drugs like glucagon, epinephrine and albuterol. Looking into this a bit more, though, it’s not the boon it first seems. This only covers certain eligible patients. Stat news says about a quarter of United Healthcare’s patients will qualify but I saw a few commentators say it could actually be less than 5-percent. UnitedHealth Group shared that it earned $5.1 billion in profit for the second quarter of 2022.
https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/united-healthcare-says-no-out-of-pocket-expenses-for-insulin/
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Not too surprising but a good study about people with type 2 using CGMs. This was for people using basal insulin only and over 65 years old. They found when given a CGM, their A1Cs went down an average of 1 full point with fewer lows. These are the kinds of studies that may seem obvious to us but that are needed to show insurers they need to cover.
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/dia.2021.0494
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New device approved to treat pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The DyAnsys’ First Relief system is set behind the ear – its an adhesive, nothing surgical. It features three small, acupuncturelike needles that reach through the skin behind the ear to access the nervous system. Once in place, the device continuously emits low-level electrical pulses over the course of several days at a time; the FDA cleared the system for repeated treatments spanning up to eight weeks.
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fda-clears-wearable-neurostimulator-dyansys-treat-pain-diabetic-nerve-damage
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Another company having success with islet cell transplants. ProtoKinetix announced they’re completely safety objectives and will start phase 1 clinical trials of their molecule PKX-001. Not much to report here yet, but I didn’t want to news of the Vertex/Viactye merger to over shadow that there are other efforts going on here.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220720005086/en/ProtoKinetix-Successfully-Completes-Phase-1-Clinical-Trials-for-the-Treatment-of-Type-1-Diabetes-in-Islet-Cell-Transplants
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Roche and Insulet settle their lawsuit.. this was a patent issue and both companies were suing each other. Insulet will give Roche 20-million dollars and Roche has agreed not to sue Insulet for five years. This was set to go to trial next week.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3855728-insulet-to-pay-20m-to-settle-patent-lawsuit
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Gestational diabetes is on the rise, climbing 30% between 2016 and 2020, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The CDC analysis showed that cases increased 13% during the first year of the pandemic alone, a much larger spike than the previous annual increases of about 5%. Experts say that the sharp increase during Covid may be because the disease accelerated people’s adoption of a sedentary lifestyle and led to pandemic-related physical and emotional stress. experts are concerned outcomes in 2021 may be worse, when Covid hit harder.
If anything, the authors and experts said, the new finding is likely an undercount. Relying on birth certificate data, which the CDC study did, can miss cases that are not captured by a physician on those forms. “If you think about it, somebody who’s doing 20 deliveries in a night, or ten deliveries in a night, is just kind of trying to get those reports and certificates out there,” said Morgan. “They’re not paying as much attention to some of those details.”
https://www.statnews.com/2022/07/20/as-diabetes-during-pregnancy-grows-more-common-experts-point-to-a-need-for-preventive-care/
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Right back to the news in a moment but first As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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/about-us/
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Next week on the podcast I’m talking to Sebastien Sasseville who recently completey the absolutely exhausting sounding Race Across America. We’ll talk about how you manage type 1 – and everything else – when you’re spending more than 20 hours a day on a bike for 12 days! The long format episode out right now is with the folks at Diabetes Wise – that’s a website to help you choose diabetes technology.. they’ve added information for doctors – this may help you educate your heathcare providers on why you want the pump or cgm system that you do..
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
Top stories in this news this week: Stem cell research Vertex company buys Viacyte, another company looking at stem cells for a functional cure for T1D, some tslim users are getting access to Tandem's new mobile bolus feature, One Drop shows a "health sensor" on its website, a study shows that screening for type 1 at very young ages could help detect most cases and much more!
Learn more about the T1D Exchange: https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days.
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In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Our top story this week, Vertex buys Viacyte! For context, Vertex is the company that got all the headlines last fall – big article in the New York Times for a stem cell therapy that brought one person with type 1 off insulin completely. The FDA put them on hold but lifted that just last week. Vertex previously acquired Dr. Doug Melton's Semma.
Viactye is the company featured in the documentary "The Human Trial" - they're using CRISPR technology to keep the body from rejecting their stem cells. Both companies technology does NOT require immunosuppressive drugs and both say they are working toward a functional cure. Some experts are saying this will speed up that effort while critics worry that it eliminates the competitive aspect of the race. Sernova is still one separate company that has shown stem cell therapy can work.. I’ve got requests out to Viacyte to talk to us about all of this, so stay tuned.
https://investors.vrtx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/vertex-acquire-viacyte-goal-accelerating-its-potentially?fbclid=IwAR15qlFSBsBR89blzXymyIGL3tW5C64QtdHpwq7a5fdjmv2q6JmfoTIpm-k
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If we widely screened kids for type 1 at certain ages, a new study suggests, it would identify most of those who go on to develop it by their teen years. These researchers looked at screening for the type 1 autoantibodies at ages 2 and 6. This included nearly 25-thousand children from Europe and US. One issue in this study, funded by JDRF, all the participants in the combined dataset had genetic risk factors for the disease or a relative with type 1 diabetes, in whom performance is expected to be higher. It also included almost exclusively kids of northern European ancestry.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/976992
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Tandem bolus by phone is slowly rolling out. This week, the T:Connect app was updated in the The t:connect app was updated and emails started arriving for those notified they were part of the early release groups. I did see some reports of people not yet getting the email but seeing the update in their portal so be sure and check. Mobile Bolus is reportedly available for those using Control IQ and Basal IQ. It’s worth noting that for those outside the US there really is no timeline, but Tandem has previously said they’re going to replace t:connect with a new system that will debut outside the US first. By the way, I got my email this morning, but Benny is still at camp for three more weeks so it'll be a bit before we do the update!
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Interesting look at teens and young adults with type 1.. the early morning psychosocial state may explain a proportion of their daily variance in time in range. The study included 88 participants aged between 14 and 26 years, 56-percent of whom were women. This is tough to quantify but they had the participants complete an engagement prediction survey and set a diabetes management goal for the day when they woke up, and also completed an evening survey. These questions were about mood, motivation, control beliefs, social support, stress, general health, self-esteem, and perceived need for assistance.
Of note, lower morning glucose levels correlated with measures of good sleep, high motivation, and good health, whereas higher morning glucose levels were associated with illness and feeling the need for support.
https://www.medwirenews.com/diabetes/morning-mindset-daily-glucose-fluctuations-young-people-diabetes/23255450
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Good catch by our friend Nerdabetic over on Twitter.. One Drop plans to enter what they’re calling the continuous health sensing market with a daily disposable, minimally invasive biosensor in development. They say this is designed to provide greater flexibility and insights for people living with diabetes compared to blood glucose monitor (BGM) fingersticks alone. The availability of our continuous health sensor is subject to receipt of clearance or approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pending regulatory approval and commercial adoption, we believe integrating the One Drop health sensor with our existing digital solution, One Drop Premium, should augment proven outcomes and yearly cost savings for members living with diabetes and other chronic conditions.
https://onedrop.today/blogs/blog/bgm-vs-cgm?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social-organic&utm_campaign=social-campaign_jul-2022&utm_content=blog
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Navitus Health Solutions, which is owned by Costco & SSM Health – has joined CivicaScript as a founding member. CivicaScript was created in 2020 to bring affordable versions of common but high-priced generic medicines to market. Earlier this year they announced they would be adding insulin to that list, but it likely won’t be available for at least two years. This partnership would seem to insure the lower cost insulin will be available at Costco pharmacies, which you don’t have to have a membership to use.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220713005349/en/Navitus-Health-Solutions-Joins-CivicaScriptTM-to-Further-Availability-of-Lower-Cost-Generic-Medications/?fbclid=IwAR0vBF0YlCo9ZJ-9Yd0nLag_Mjuf8s4YpnR9IJVudvVGDR1Rj508HSd_kXw
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Right back to the news in a moment but first As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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The Food and Drug Administration received more than a thousand comments—mainly from diabetes patients and their family members—in response to draft cybersecurity guidance. These are for staff to use when processing submissions from medical-device manufacturers.
“Please do not let medical device manufacturers use cybersecurity as a pretense to prevent me from accessing my OWN devices,” reads one entry from a sample of the comments FDA posted to the docket on the guidance.
Howard Look, CEO of Tidepool is quoted in some of the article around this. Tidepool provides software that allows patients to see their data and better manage the disease. And supporters are working to make Tidepool Loop the first FDA approved app for more convenient automated insulin delivery.
“Following best practices for cybersecurity does not need to imply blocking patient users from accessing their own data or controlling their own devices,” the comments read. “Tidepool asserts there is a risk that the FDA guidance will be interpreted or misinterpreted to suggest restriction of access by the patient user is appropriate or encouraged. The FDA can mitigate this risk by clearly stating a patient user’s access to and use of their own device can be considered authorized access, and should not be considered a cybersecurity threat.”
With a 90-day public comment period ending Thursday, the FDA will now begin the process of finalizing cybersecurity guidance for its pre-market submissions, according to a notice in the Federal Register.
https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2022/07/diabetes-patients-flood-fda-comments-cybersecurity-medical-devices/374020/
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Congrats to the team over at Divabetic Podcast – which celebrates 12 years this month! Divabetic was inspired by the late R&B legend, Luther Vandross, and founded in 2005 by his long-time assistant, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek. It’s now a national nonprofit organization that uses highly engaged, non-traditional virtual programs, videos and podcasts to promote prevention, early action and education. Congrats to Max and the entire team!
https://divabetic.org/about-us/
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Next week you’ll hear from the folks at Diabetes Wise – that’s a website to help you choose diabetes technology.. they’ve added information for doctors – this may help you educate your heathcare providers on why you want the pump or cgm system that you do.. the long format episode out right now is all about campviews, a new system that lets diabetes camps see every camper’s CGM all at once.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
Top stories in the news this week: researchers are testing an injection to help prevent type 1 diabetes while not harming the immune system, a new study looks at older adults and CGM use, help for pharmacists when it comes to prescribing CGM and a new group takes over the Lilly Diabetes Journey Award Medals. Plus, amazing feats of endurance from ultra athletes with type 1 diabetes.
Learn more about the T1D Exchange: https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days.
XX
In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Interesting new study looking at preventing type 1. The drug, currently known as IMCY-0098, blocks the immune system response that is thought to be the trigger. Very early on here, the Oxford scientists who are part of the study say it will likely be at least ten years before they’ll be able to bring it to market, if it works. One of the most promising aspects is that the injection seems to only target production of cells that damage the immune system, so it doesn’t seem to affect the body’s ability to protect itself against other infections.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10952755/Type-1-diabetes-stopped-strikes-thanks-simple-jab.html
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No surprise but glad this is being looked at. Older adults with type 1 diabetes using CGMs for the first time had lower A1Cs AND fewer lows. This study called WISDM - Wireless Innovation for Seniors with Diabetes Mellitus (WISDM) followed adults over 60 for six months. These researchers say the benefits of CGM combined with recently improved Medicare coverage should serve to increase adoption of CGM as standard of care in all adult populations, especially older people who are at increased risk of hypoglycemia.
https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20220627/cgm-improves-time-in-range-reduces-hba1c-for-older-adults-with-type-1-diabetes
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New resource thanks to the Helmsley Trust. This is for pharmacists and it’s hoped it will expand patient access to CGMs. The release says Involving pharmacists in providing access is especially important for rural communities where they may be the most reachable healthcare professionals given the lack of diabetes specialists across the U.S. The guide was developed by the American Pharmacists Association and its Foundation
http://ow.ly/zZ3c50Jz20f
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Looks like the Lilly Diabetes Journey Award Medals are getting a second life. As we reported back in January, after nearly 50 years, Lilly decided to end the program which gives a small medal for 10,25, 50 and 75 years of living with diabetes. The group Children with Diabetes – best known for putting on the Friends for Life Conference has taken it over. They’ll now be called the CWD Journey Awards. You don’t have to attend one of their conferences to get one and there is no cost. I’ll give you the link to learn more and order one.
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The vets and keepers at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) diagnosed the first reported case of diabetes in a giant anteater.
Stephanie Mota, resident veterinary surgeon at RZSS said: “Keepers first discovered something was wrong when Nala was losing weight despite eating the same amount, or sometimes even more, than usual.
“We carried out a full health check under general anaesthetic, running lots of tests and found that Nala has type 1 diabetes.”
While the condition is known to occur in domestic cats, dogs and in tamanduas (Tuh-man-doo-uhs) in the wild, no other cases have been reported in giant anteaters. BTW a Tu-man-doo-uh is a smaller anteater and I spent far too much time today watching videos of them because I had never head of them and they are amazing.
Dexcom donated the CGM to the Zoo’s charity. The story I read here says. Due to her lovely personality, Nala is the ideal candidate for this technology which helps us, and her amazing team of keepers, manage her condition in the best possible way.
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/edinburgh-zoo-monitor-uks-first-diabetic-giant-anteater-with-blood-glucose-monitor-usually-used-on-humans-3749422
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Right back to the news in a moment but first As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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Some great stories from our amazing community. First, Sebastien Sassevile completed the world's toughest ultra-cycling race, the Race Across America. It took 12 days and over 3-thousand miles. Sasseville who lives with type 1 basically spent 20 hours a day on his bike. He’s the first person with type 1 to finish this grueling race.
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Don Muchow told us he was going to do it and the 60 year old has finished a 10k swim around Key West. I spoke to Muchow just after his 2021 Disney to Disney run – that’s Disneyland in California to Disneyworld in Florida and he alluded to doing this race next. I’ve linked up his race report blog.. it’s a very interesting read, especially how he treated a high blood glucose with more carbs. He came in second overall and first male in any age group.
https://swimswam.com/60-year-old-iron-man-don-muchow-swims-around-key-west-for-diabetes-awareness/
https://t1determined.org/event-report-swim-around-key-west-10k/?fbclid=IwAR1U7XdI4_uw9OSe994TKuu7IuYjWC8FwHhby0Pm-RRzDIYAd9pGCMj6AD0
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And finally, another former guest Dr. Nat Strand who works at the Mayo Clinic debuted a film she made with colleagues. It tells the story of what it is to be Black at Mayo Clinic, in healthcare, in America. Dr. Strand says, “By providing a platform for 12 courageous individuals to share their realities, we hope to move viewers toward active antiracism and start the conversation for many to continue.”
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Next week you’ll hear from Katie who started a podcast when she didn’t hear the diabetes show she wanted.. that sounds familiar. You may know her online as Sugarmama Podcast. The long format episode out right now is all about the new documentary regarding stem cell research, talking to the director of “The Human Trial” i
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
It’s “In the News..” got a few minutes? Get caught up! Top stories this week: The US Senate may have a bipartisan plan to lower the price of insulin for the insured, nasal insulin is tested to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's in people with diabetes, two interesting studies about sleep and diabetes, and more!
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days.
XX
In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Two Senators have unveiled legislation aimed at lowering the cost of insulin, but not for the uninsured. This is a bipartisan bill that would lower patietn’s cost to 35-dollars a month, for those with commercial insurance and on Medicare. It would eliminate the rebates drug companies pay to negotiators known as pharmacy benefit managers if the drug company kept the overall price of insulin below a certain level. Democrats are also in the midst of talks on a party-line package on President Biden’s economic agenda that would likely include reductions in insulin costs as well as broader measures aimed at lowering drug prices, which could complicate any push for a stand-alone insulin measure. This change has enormous support among Americans, but can’t seem to get any real traction in Washington despite who’s in power. We’ll see what happens..
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3531954-bipartisan-pair-of-senators-unveils-bill-to-lower-insulin-costs/
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Nasal insulin doesn’t look like it works too well on diabetes, but a new study shows it may help to slow age related mental decline. This study found that after 12 months of once daily intranasal insulin, people with diabetes in the study performed better on cognitive tests than those diabetics in the placebo group. The non-diabetic group receiving the intranasal insulin also displayed improvements on decision making and verbal memory tests compared to non-diabetics in the placebo group.
The biggest improvements in the non-diabetic group were seen in those subjects who started the trial in a prediabetic state. This suggests the treatment may be most effective at slowing cognitive decline in either diabetics or those with prediabetes.
https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/insulin-nasal-spray-cognitive-decline-dementia-clinical-trial/
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Go to sleep, and don’t breathe too much. Researchers in the U.K. will test hypoxia to treat type 2 diabetes. Hypoxia is a state where the body does not receive sufficient amounts of oxygen.
Multiple studies have shown that hypoxia improves blood sugar levels and aids in weight loss. Although scientists do not fully understand how this works, it is suggested that hypoxia burns more calories in the body, resulting in lower appetites in individuals. These researchers want to recruit volunteers so they can figure out why. Each volunteer will be provided with a sleeping tent in which they have to sleep – at home - for 10-day periods on two separate occasions. For one of they nights, they oxygen levels will be set to 15 percent. That sounds ridiculous, but, the air we breathe right now is only about 21% oxygen. 15-percent is pretty typical for find at high altitudes or inside an airplane.
https://interestingengineering.com/lose-weight-while-asleep
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Another look at sleeping and type 2.. an exposure to light may increase the risk. Big sleep study at Northwestern University found that exposure to any amount of light during the sleep period was correlated with the higher prevalence of diabetes, obesity and hypertension in both older men and women. A study published earlier this year by the same team found for healthy adults in their 20s. Sleeping for only one night with a dim light, such as a TV set with the sound off, raised the blood sugar and heart rate.
An elevated heart rate at night has been shown in prior studies to be a risk factor for future heart disease and early death, while higher blood sugar levels are a sign of insulin resistance, which can ultimately lead to type 2 diabetes.
Instead of pulling people into a sleep lab, the new study used a real-world setting. Researchers gave 552 men and women between the ages of 63 and 84 an actigraph, a small device worn like a wristwatch that measures sleep cycles, average movement and light exposure.
Fewer than half of the adults in the study got five hours of darkness at night.
those who had higher amounts of light at night were also the most likely to have diabetes, obesity or hypertension."
Strategies for reducing light levels at night include positioning your bed away from windows or using light-blocking window shades. Don't charge laptops and cellphones in your bedroom where melatonin-altering blue light can disrupt your sleep. If low levels of light persist, try a sleep mask to shelter your eyes.
In that case, consider using nightlights positioned very low to the ground, and choose lights with an amber or red color. That spectrum of light has a longer wavelength, and is less intrusive and disruptive to our circadian rhythm, or body clock, than shorter wavelengths such as blue light.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/22/health/light-exposure-sleep-study-wellness/index.html
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https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-06-reveals-key-diabetes-drug-nature.htmlXX
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Nice story out of Kansas City where Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. publicly enrolled himself in a TrialNet study. His brother lives with type 1 and his father died of DKA without knowing he had diabetes. Brown said he hopes participating in the trial will help others while helping himself and his family.
https://www.kshb.com/sports/chiefs-orlando-brown-jr-enrolls-in-trialnet-study-for-type-1-diabetes
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Right back to the news in a moment but first As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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Congrats to the great team of Ginger Vieira and Mike Lawson on their newest book. Ain’t Gonna Hide My T1D. Sherry the Sheep loves to draw and play basketball, but she’s worried about what her friends will think if they see her insulin & CGM. Ginger and Mike are long time advocates who both live with type 1. This is their 3rd children’s book together and I think they do a great job of balancing fun and education.
https://smile.amazon.com/Aint-Gonna-Hide-My-T1D/dp/B0B455DL45/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1655748198&refinements=p_27:GingerVieira&s=books&sr=1-4&text=GingerVieira
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And finally, The Human Trial premieres this weekend. This is a documentary all about stem cell transplantation as a functional cure for type 1. I first spoke to the people behind this film back in 2016 when they were well underway. The movie follows the first two patients in the Viacyte trials. You can host your own screening.. I’ll link up more information – as I do with all of these stories - in the show notes.
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And.. The Human Trial will be subject of next week’s long format show. My interview with Lisa Hepner is a follow up to the one six years ago when we first discussed this project. We go into the details of stem cell research, what changed and what she’s seen behind the scenes. The current long-format episode out now is all about Skirt My Pump, an ingenious idea from a women who’s lived with type 1 for 40 years and got fed up with figuring out where to put her pump.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
It’s “In the News..” got a few minutes? Get caught up! Top stories this week: Tandem Diabetes announces a limited launch of their mobile bolus feature (signup below), researchers look at how Basaglar stacks up, new guidelines for diabetes in the hospital, a T1D extreme athlete bikes across the USA and more
Learn about the T1D Exchange!
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days. we go live on social media first and then All sources linked up at diabetes dash connections dot com when this airs as a podcast.
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In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Tandem’s mobile bolus feature is in limited release. Approved earlier this year, they’ve released the feature to a very small number of users and are expecting a wider, still limited, release in the next few weeks. This is the feature that allows you to bolus by phone and use the t-connect app to see pump data on your phone as well. It’s not full pump control via phone, but it’s a big step forward in terms of convenience for users and for Tandem’ next product, the MOBI pump – which won’t have a screen and will have full phone control. I’m asking Tandem to come on the show and share more about the features and how it works. It’s interesting that you can’t dismiss alerts and alarms from the app and must do so on the pump itself. I’ll link up the site you need to sign up for the limited release. You will need to update the software on your tslim x2 pump and take some additional online training. This is US only.
https://www.tandemdiabetes.com/landing-pages/remote-bolus
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The Eversense E3 gets European approval. This is a partnership between Ascensia diabetes care and Senseonics. The E3 is the six month version of the implantable CGM system. It’s also approved for insulin treatment decisions, which is a switch from the XL version already available in Europe. The E3 was approved in the US earlier this year and should be distributed in Europe in the fall.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ascensia-diabetes-care-announces-european-060000125.html
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New guidelines for treating diabetes in the hospital. This is from the Endocrine Society, which last updated their guidelines ten years ago. New this time around, hospital use of continuous glucose monitoring and insulin pump therapy, providing inpatient diabetes education as part of a comprehensive diabetes discharge-planning process, use of noninsulin glucose-lowering therapies, and more.
Adult patients with diabetes or newly recognized hyperglycemia account for greater than 30% of noncritically ill hospitalized patients.
https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/topics/endocrinology-information-center/endocrine-society-issues-new-guidelines-for-hospitalized-patients-with-diabetes/
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Works just as well and costs less.. that’s the upshot of a new study on Basaglar, the copycat insulin to Lantus when it comes to type 2 diabetes. The findings come from 14 commercial health plans and Medicare Advantage plans. Basaglar was approved as a biosimilar insulin glargine by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2015. This was a large study of thousands of patients and also showed that there was better adherence to Basaglar, no reason for that was given, but it could be the lower cost.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/975440
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Right back to the news in a moment but first As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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Very early but Swedish researchers have now identified a molecule that helps stimulate the growth of new insulin-producing cells, and uncovered how it works. These researchers looked at a molecule known as CID661578 and found that it binds to a protein called MNK2. In doing so, it allows two other proteins to interact at higher levels, which ultimately leads to greater beta cell regeneration. The team tested their molecule in zebrafish, and found that it lowered blood glucose levels when compared to a control group. In pig pancreas cells grown in the lab, the molecule was shown to trigger the formation of new beta cells, while human pancreas organoids given the molecule produced more insulin.
Long way to go, but still interesting.
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Type 1 Endurance athlete Sebastien Sasseville is taking part in the race across American this week. Called the world’s premier ultra endurance race, it’s literally a cycling event from the West Coast to the East Coast with a maximum lenthg of 12 days. That mean they have to cover about 275 miles every day.
The original concept runs all the way back to 1887 when newspaperman George Nellis rode across the country via railroad routes in 80 days. The more modern version began in the 1970s, when John Marino decided to see how fast he could get across the country on a bicycle. The first head-to-head race came in 1982, and there were four starters.
It's been called a brutal version of the tour de France. Sasseville has been on the show before and I’ll catch up with him after he recovers here. He’s been up Mt Everest, ran across Canada and did the brutal race across the Sahara Desert. He’s sponsored by Tandem.
https://cyclingtips.com/2022/06/how-to-watch-race-across-america-raam-route-map-elevation-live-dot-watching/
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On this week’s long format episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Sernova’s CEO all about their cell therapy and the search for a functional cure for type 1. Next week, a little less technology.. a fun conversation with a woman frustrated with the limits of wearing her pump, especially with skirts, so she found a new solution.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
It's "In the News.." got a few minutes? Get caught up! Top stories this week: The Federal Trade Commission probes the prescription drug middleman industry, once a week basal insulin moves forward, DIY insuln dosing systems get a thumbs up at ADA Scientific Sessions, Sernova's stem cell system releases great findings and more!
Learn more about the T1D Exchange
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
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Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
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Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days. we go live on social media first and then All sources linked up at diabetes dash connections dot com when this airs as a podcast.
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In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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The Federal Trade Commission will launch an inquiry into the prescription drug middleman industry.. requiring the six largest pharmacy benefit managers to provide information and records. They’re looking at PBMs such as CVS Caremark; Express Scripts, Inc.; OptumRx, Inc.; Humana Inc and more. The largest PBMs are now vertically integrated with the largest health insurance companies and wholly owned mail order and specialty pharmacies. In these roles, pharmacy benefit managers often have enormous influence on which drugs are prescribed to patients, which pharmacies patients can use, and how much patients ultimately pay at the pharmacy counter.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/06/ftc-launches-inquiry-prescription-drug-middlemen-industry?utm_campaign=https://www.ftc.gov/news-&utm_content=1654622484&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
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Confirming what many of you have known for years.. an open-source automated insulin delivery system -- also known as a do-it-yourself system -- was both safe and effective for patients with type 1 diabetes. This is from the CREATE trial, designed to test DIY system, presented for the first time at the ADA Scientific Sessions. This system was made up of the OpenAPS algorithm from a version of AndroidAPS implemented in a smartphone, paired with the DANA-i insulin pump and Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor. The researchers previously published additional information in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/ada/99109
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Stem cell study showing great results. Sernova says the first three patients of six total continue to be insulin independent following treatment. One of the patients has been insulin-free for more than two years, while the other two have been free of the need for medication injections for six months and three months, respectively. At this point, the other three patients in the study have not had the device long enough to determine measurable results. The first three all have A1Cs in a normal, nondiabetic range.
Sernova's Cell Pouch is an implantable device that releases the primary donor islets. The device is implanted under the skin in a minimally-invasive procedure. We’re talking to Sernova for next week’s show; long way to go here but another good result for stem cells.
https://www.biospace.com/article/sernova-cell-pouch-device-keeps-type-1-diabetes-patient-insulin-free-for-two-years/
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Getting closer to once-a-week basal insulin. New study says Novo Nordisk insulin icodec achieved better results than Lantus in some aspects of the study and that overall it was – this is interesting wording – non-inferior. Another previous study showed it also matched well to Tresiba, but that Tresiba caused fewer lows than the once-weekly basal. This study was about type 2 diabetes but insuln icodec is in other trials for people with type 1.
https://www.biospace.com/article/novo-nordisk-scores-phase-iii-insulin-win-strengthening-market-position/
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New partnership between Diabeloop – which makes an automated insulin algorithm - and SOOIL which makes pumps. These are two French companies that have been working together since 2020 but this new announcement was delayed by COVID. They want to bring the product – Diabeloop’s DBLG-1 I controller and SOOIL’s Dana ACE Pump to the US, Europe and Korea.
https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/diabeloop-sooil-automated-insulin-diabetes/
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Civica continues to move ahead with the development of its affordable insulins. They’ve announced they’ll partner with the German company Profil for the clinical trials. Civica plans to set a maximum recommended price to the consumer of no more than $30 per vial and no more than $55 for a box of five pen cartridges. Contingent on FDA approval, Civica anticipates that its insulins will be available for purchase beginning in 2024.
https://www.healthcarepackaging.com/supplier-news/news/22262909/civicarx-civica-selects-profil-as-clinical-trial-partner-for-affordable-insulin-initiative
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New study out of Israel shows that obesity in teenagers may lead to type 1 diabetes a few years later. The study, of nearly 1.5 million Israeli teenagers, found that those who were obese were twice as likely to develop type 1 diabetes by young adulthood, versus those in the normal weight range. The senior researcher on the study says it’s not clear why obesity would raise the risk of type 1. They think it may the a trigger in people with genetically susceptible. Obesity also has other effects — including vitamin D deficiency and alterations in the gut's bacterial makeup — that could impair immune function.
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-06-06/obesity-in-teen-years-might-trigger-type-1-diabetes
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Right back to the news in a moment but first we’ve got a new sponsor. As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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On this week’s long format episode, you’ll hear my conversation with Dexcom’s CEO Kevin Sayer. We get more information about the G7 launch, after FDA approval of course and I asked him your questions about everything from IOS issues to airport scanners. Next week, Sernova joins me to explain their stem cell pouch technology
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
Got a few minutes? Get caught up on the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past week.
The FDA approves Abbott's Freestyle Libre, Dexcom addresses reports it may buy Insulet, Ozempic becomes a TikTok trend, Diabetes Scholarships for college and more!
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days. we go live on social media first and then All sources linked up at diabetes dash connections dot com when this airs as a podcast.
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In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Our top story, FreeStye Libre 3 gets FDA approval. This is a 14 -day CGM, Abbot says it’s smaller and thinner, about the size of two pennies stacked up. Abbott also claims Libre 3 is the most accurate 14-day CGM based on new results. It’s worth noting that there isn’t another 14-day CGM on the market.. Dexcom is ten days and the upcoming G7 seems to have similar accuracy. However, Libre is less expensive and they say there will be no price increase for this new model.
Libre has had iCGM designation since the Libre 2 – but the FDA says it’s still not allowed for use with automated insulin delivery systems. I’ve asked to speak with Abbott and we’ll find out more about why that is and what the company plans to do if it can’t integrate with insulin pumps in the US.
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Meanwhile, Dexcom pushes back on talk that it was interested in acquiring Insulet. Here’s part of the quote: It is generally our policy not to comment on rumors or speculation, however, in light of recent sustained media and market speculation as well as the upcoming American Diabetes Association conference, we wish to confirm that Dexcom is not in active discussions regarding a merger transaction at this time. We do not intend to comment further on this topic and we assume no obligation to make any further announcement or disclosure should circumstances change."
I’m set to talk to Dexcom’s CEO at ADA and I’ll definitely ask him about this, even though they say they won’t comment further. I do think it’s interesting they use the word “merger” and not also “acquisition” – but the stock market seems to believe them. Dexcom went up on the news.
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New information could link environmental pollution to type 1. New study from Norway says even low concentrations of such pollutants can result in cells producing less insulin. New cases in Norway have doubled in children and teens since the 1970s. This study also included samples from American kids. Overall, the researchers found a larger proportion of those with type 1 diabetes these pollutants in their blood. They also found when mice were exposed to the pollutants, insulin production went down.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220530/Environmental-pollutants-may-be-the-reason-behind-development-of-type-1-diabetes.aspx
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Whey protein may be the next big thing for people with type 2. Drinking a pre-made shot before meals with a low dose of whey protein seems to help better control blood glucose levels. In this study, people went about their daily lives with no changes but the whey drink. Then they spent a week with no whey, all while wearing a CGM. On average, people had two hours additional per day of normal blood sugar levels compared to the week they skipped the protein drink. The researchers believe the whey slows down food in the digestive system and also stimulate hormones than help keep glucose from rising. This was a small study, but you can bet you’ll be hearing a lot more follow up.. it’s a simple and promising treatment.
https://scitechdaily.com/just-a-small-amount-of-protein-supplement-helps-control-type-2-diabetes/
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At least at one hospital, the pandemic showed the telemedicine and CGM use can make a big difference in kids with type 1. For the study published in BMC Pediatrics, these researchers used data from Children's Medical Center Dallas . While the number of office visits among patients decreased during the pandemic, there was no effect on disease management in this group – both glucose control and hospitalization rates were unchanged. However, the results highlighted existing disparities among patients in minority and low-income demographics. Both before and during the pandemic, Black and Hispanic patients and those without commercial insurance had worse glucose control and higher hospitalization rates. There was however a dramatic increase in CGM use by patients without commercial insurance, likely because it was then that CGM was offered to Medicaid recipients in Texas.
The researchers believe the increased use of continuous glucose monitoring along with the successful implementation of telemedicine greatly contributed to preventing worse outcomes in this patient population.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220531/Telemedicine-continuous-glucose-monitoring-helped-attenuate-COVID-19-impact-on-children-with-Type-1-diabetes.aspx
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Heads up if you take Ozempic, might want to get that prescription squared away and filled.. a quote - “unexpected increase in consumer demand” seems to have come because of a Tik Tok trend. TikTok users have been documenting their weight loss using the hashtag #ozempic, even though it’s not approved for that use, only for treatment of type 2. This seems to be more of an issue in Australia and the UK.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/31/shortage-of-diabetes-medication-ozempic-after-tiktok-users-promote-drug-for-weight-loss
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Right back to the news in a moment but first we’ve got a new sponsor. As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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ADA Scientific Sessions kicks off today and continues through the weekend. I have a virtual press pass and I’m sure next week’s newscast will be chock full of newly released studies. My email is already full of the previews and I wish all my friends traveling to the first in person scientific sessions since I believe 2019 a safe trip.
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Congrats to the newest class of Diabetes Scholars! Beyond Type 1’s program awarded over 50 scholarships to students living with Type 1 diabetes in 2022. At over $166,000 these scholarships are made possible by individual donors and partner organizations. New this year, the Lilly Diabetes Thom Scher Policy plus advocacy scholarship. Thom was the CEO of Beyond Type 1 until his sudden death last year. The Scholarship in his name is for a student with a strong background in type 1 diabetes policy and advocacy.
100% of scholarship funds donated by individuals or partners are awarded to recipients, with Beyond Type 1 absorbing all operational costs associated with the program.
https://diabetesscholars.org/class-of-2022/
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On this week’s long format episode, you’ll hear about Savannah Johnson’s Type 1 Way Ticket. Next week, Dexcom CEO Kevin Sayer from ADA.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
It’s in the news! Got a few minutes? Get caught up! Top stories this week: Dexcom is reportedly in talks to buy Omnipod, Abbott & Dexcom sue and countersue each other over patents, new study showing people with type 1 diabetes are living longer, a JDRF advocate climbs Mt Everest, and more!
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days. we go live on social media first and then All sources linked up at diabetes dash connections dot com when this airs as a podcast.
XX
In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Our top story this week is still developing.. but Bloomberg reports that Dexcom is in talks to acquire Insulet, the makers of Omnipod. Neither company has commented publicly on the report. Bloombeg says, “Talks between the companies are ongoing and an agreement could be reached in the coming weeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Discussions could still be delayed or fall apart, the people said.”
Insulet’s stock has gone up and Dexcom’s has gone down. These companies already have an agreement in which the Omnipod and Dexcom CGMs communicate.. Dexcom also has an agreement with Tandem and some other companies – those aren’t expected to change in the short term, but there are a lot more questions than answers about this report. I’m scheduled to talk to Dexcom’s CEO in early June and we’ll continue to follow this story.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-23/dexcom-is-said-in-talks-to-acquire-device-firm-insulet
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Meanwhile, Dexcom and Abbott are currently going head-to-head over twelve separate patents covering their respective CGMs. Both companies are launching newer products soon, with the Dexcom G7 and Freestyle Libre 3 already available in Germany. Dexcom first sued in 2021.. Abbot then countersued.
A UK High Court will hold three separate technical trials, planned for December 2022, April 2023 and July 2023.
https://www.juve-patent.com/news-and-stories/cases/dexcom-and-abbotts-fight-over-glucose-monitoring-patents-intensifies-in-europe/
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People with type 1 diabetes are living longer according to a new study based on data from Australia, Denmark, Latvia, Scotland, Spain, and the United States. The years analyzed varied by country, but overall, they cover 2000 to 2016 and include 1.5 million person-years. The data show that country-by-country annual changes in age- and sex-standardized all-cause mortality among people with T1D dropped by between 2% and nearly 6% over the study period. The risk of dying was still higher than in people without type 1, mostly because of diabetes complications.
https://www.ajmc.com/view/all-cause-mortality-falling-among-people-with-type-1-diabetes
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A new study finds that herpes virus may contribute increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Herpes viruses are one of the most common viruses in humans, with 8 types currently known. Any of these can cause lifelong latent infections after an initial, usually mild or asymptomatic primary infection. Until recently, viruses had only been proposed as a potential trigger for the development of type 1 diabetes. This study was based on health data from nearly 2000 people, men and women, in Germany. The researchers found that herpes viruses consistently and complementarily contributed to the development of prediabetes and diabetes, even after accounting for sex, age, BMI, education, smoking, physical activity, parental diabetes, hypertension, lipid levels, insulin resistance, and fasting glucose.
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/study-herpesvirus-infection-may-increase-risk-of-diabetes
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This one sounds kind of odd, but a one-time diabetes treatment may lower average blood sugar and improve long-term insulin resistance and pancreatic function. The company is Fractyl, the treamtment is an outpatient proceure that applies heat to the intestinal walls to – quote – strip out and reset the mucosal lining, which can thicken over years from dietary fats, sugars and other foods. Fractyl believes this thickening contributes to the insulin resistance seen in Type 2 diabetes. The device has breakthrough FDA designation, but no approval yet. It is approved in Europe.
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fractyl-shows-its-intestine-resurfacing-device-type-2-diabetes-improves-insulin-resistance
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Right back to the news in a moment but first we’ve got a new sponsor. As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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Cameron Kenny just climbed Mt Everest and unfurled the JDRF flag at the summit. Kenny doesn’t live with diabetes, but his brother does. Kenny is an accomplished climber and raised money for JDRF during his prep and climb of Everest. I can’t seem to find his brother’s name anywhere, even in the JDRF posts, so if you know this family, please let me know.
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On this week’s long format episode, you’ll hear about Mike Joyce is set to complete an incredible long-distance hiking trail. It’s actually three trails – the longest in the US – he’ll talk about how he does this with type 1. Next week, type one way ticket travel – a new way to get teenagers with T1D to experience international adventure travel.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
It's in the news! Got a few minutes? Get caught up! Top stories this week: new research that keeps beta cells safer after transplant, a new drug for type 2 also shows weight loss success, the makers of Afrezza buy a simple patch pump, Beyond Type 1 tackles mental health and diabetes and lots more!
Check out Stacey's book: The World's Worst Diabetes Mom!
Join the Diabetes Connections Facebook Group!
Sign up for our newsletter here
-----
Use this link to get one free download and one free month of Audible, available to Diabetes Connections listeners!
-----
Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible!
Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days. we go live on social media first and then All sources linked up at diabetes dash connections dot com when this airs as a podcast.
XX
In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Our top story, another approach to beta cell encapsulation. There are a few methods being tested to protect the transplanted cells from the body’s immune system. A new and promising one seems to be a new biomaterial in the form of microgel beads. This study was in mice only but after three months the beta cells survived and maintained blood sugar levels with no rejection drugs. Interestingly, this study put the cells into the omentum, not the liver as is apparently the usual spot. I never heard of the omentum.. in case you haven’t, it’s a layer of tissue connecting the stomach with the other abdominal organs. It’s non-vital so it’s safer if any complications take place. No word on when human trials might begin here.
https://newatlas.com/medical/microgel-beads-safer-path-cell-transplants-treat-diabetes/
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FDA approval for a new injection for type 2 diabetes called Mounjaro. It’s made by Eli Illy and is shown to lower blood sugar and can help patients lose weight. Existing medicines target a hormone called the glucagon-like peptide-1 that is involved in the control of blood sugar. But Mounjaro targets a second hormone, the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, as well. It is the first medicine to target both. While not yet approved as an obesity treatment, it’s performed very well in clinical trials for weight loss. One study showed it helped patients lose an average of 16 to 22 percent of their weight: That’s on par with bariatric surgery
https://www.statnews.com/2022/05/13/fda-approves-lilly-diabetes-drug-that-analysts-expect-to-be-a-big-seller/
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Big deal for MannKind, the makers of Afrezza inhalable insulin. They’re acquiring Zealand Pharma’s wearable V-Go Insulin Delivery Device. The V-Go is a patch pump that’s meant for people with type 2 – it delivers basal insulin at a set rate all day long and can give boluses only in increments of 2 units of insulin at a time, up to 36 units in 24 hours. The deal is expected to close by the end of the month.
https://www.mddionline.com/diabetes/mannkind-acquires-wearable-insulin-device-zealand-pharma
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Young adults who were at risk of food insecurity had an increased incidence of diabetes 10 years later, according to the results of a study from Washington State University. Although previous research has associated food insecurity with a range of health issues, this study showed a connection over time, which could indicate a causal relationship. The investigators could not identify the exact reason for this connection, previous research has shown that food-insecure households often have diets with lower nutritional values. The study results did not indicate differences among ethnicities or races, but they also said that a limitation of the study was the number of minorities in the sample, which could be too low to show a pattern, according to investigators. The investigators plan to evaluate food insecurity risk and health issues within American Indian and Alaska Native and American Indian populations, which they said are often left out of annual reports on food insecurity.
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Beyond Type 1 has a new mental health portal.. announced as part of this Mental Health Awareness Month. The global nonprofit is partnering with BetterHelp to provide affordable mental health resources and services to its online community with two weeks of free, professional online therapy. Beyond Type 1 will continue to expand the resources available on the site.. it’s not just for this month.
https://beyondtype1.org/mental-health/.
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Another entry into the quest to find a non-invasive way to monitor glucose. Movano Inc reports they have – quote - successfully validated the functionality of its proprietary and patented system-on-a-chip. They say this is designed specifically for blood pressure or glucose monitoring systems. It’s very early here.. they are also creating a prototype for clinical studies. But this tech got them a new patent. We’re keeping an eye on these non-invasive devices – it remains to be seen if any will be accurate enough to use to dose insulin.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/movano-successfully-completes-functional-testing-of-smallest-ever-custom-mmwave-sensor-designed-for-non-invasive-glucose-and-cuffless-blood-pressure-monitoring-301545710.html
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Right back to the news in a moment but first we’ve got a new sponsor. As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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Back to the news.. Big candy recall, so heads up if you use any of these for lows. It includes specific varieties of SKITTLES® Gummies, STARBURST® Gummies, and LIFE SAVERS® Gummies due to the potential presence of a very thin metal strand embedded in the gummies or loose in the bag. No illness or injuries have been reported. I’ll link up the specific lot and manufacturer information.
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/mars-wrigley-confectionery-us-llc-issues-voluntary-recall-specific-varieties-skittlesr-gummies
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A college fashion design major has a unique senior project. Naomi Kinnamon spent her senior year working on a collection titled “Type 1 Of A Kind.” This series draws on her experiences as a woman with type 1 diabetes who struggles to find clothing that fits comfortably with her insulin pump. She’s lived with type 1 since 6th grade and says the most difficult clothing to find were dresses and jumpsuits. So she designed her own. Kinnamon showed off her designs at SCAD – the Savannah College of Art and Design and I’ll link that up in the show notes.
https://www.wsav.com/now/scad-senior-designs-clothing-for-women-with-type-1-diabetes/
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On this week’s long format episode, you’ll hear about the latest on the iLet Bionic Pancreas. Next week.. Mike Joyce is set to complete an incredible long-distance hiking trail. It’s actually three trails – the longest in the US – he’ll talk about how he does this with type 1.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.
It’s “In the News…” Got a few minutes? Get caught up! Top stories this week: racial disparities in treatment for kids with type 1, new study looks at oral insulin for type 2, nanoparticles tested to prevent diabetes and why is there a Squishmallow toy being marketed as having T1D? That and a lot more.
Full transcript and links to sources below.
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Episode Transcription Below (or coming soon!)
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Hello and welcome to Diabetes Connections In the News! I’m Stacey Simms and these are the top diabetes stories and headlines of the past seven days. we go live on social media first and then All sources linked up at diabetes dash connections dot com when this airs as a podcast.
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In the news is brought to you by T1D Exchange! T1D Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving outcomes for the entire T1D population.
https://t1dexchange.org/stacey/
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Our top story, Black children with type 1 diabetes experience disparities in health outcomes compared with other racial and ethnic groups with similar neighborhood opportunity profiles. That’s according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open. This was a very big study – more than 70-thousand patient encounters under the age of 21 from 2009 to 2018. They looked at something called the Child Opportunity Index. This It combines data from neighborhood-level indicators, like good schools, parks and playgrounds, clear air and safe housing. They found that the probability of readmission within a year was significantly higher among Black children with a very low COI category versus Hispanic children and White children at the same COI category. These researchers say doctors and educators need to be aware and include interventions that target racial disparities.
https://www.physiciansweekly.com/outcomes-worse-for-children-with-type-1-diabetes-who-are-black
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New research suggests the people of certain racial ethnic groups should be screened for diabetes at lower body mass index than white people. A recommendation that contradicts recent guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force. At a time when a lot of medicine is trying to rid itself of race-based tools this could be tricky.. but these researchers say that using a one-size-fits-all approach to screening, when diabetes is two to four times more prevalent and more deadly in Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans, is likely to result in underdiagnosis of the disease, and widen health gaps.
https://www.statnews.com/2022/05/09/race-ethnicity-bmi-diabetes-screening/
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New partnership between JDRF, Yale University and a company called NexImmune. That company has something called Artificial Immune Modulation nanoparticles and the idea here is to if that could work with Teplizumab to delay or prevent type 1. Teplizumab is already being tested as a prevention method and is back in front of the FDA. NexImmune says it’s wider plan is to use the body’s own T-cells to generate a specific immune response to prevent not just diabetes but other auto immune conditions and even cancer.
https://www.jdrf.org/press-releases/neximmune-yale-and-jdrf-enter-into-600k-research-partnership-for-type-1-diabetes/
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Oramed Pharmaceuticals announced this week that it has enrolled 100% of the patients in the world’s first Phase 3 study of oral insulin
This is being looked at just for type 2 right now.
The primary endpoint of the study is to compare the efficacy of ORMD-0801 to placebo in improving glycemic control, with a secondary endpoint of assessing the change from baseline in fasting plasma glucose at 26 weeks. They hope to announce results in January of 2023.
https://www.biopharma-reporter.com/Article/2022/05/05/Oramed-hits-oral-insulin-clinical-trial-milestone
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New partnership between two diabetes heavy weights. The Diabetes Research Institute, DRI Foundation Canada (DRIFCAN) and Alberta Diabetes Institute (ADI) have announced a research partnership
The CEO of DRI says "Type 1 diabetes knows no borders or boundaries; nor should the research to find a cure. There’s a lot of research funded by these groups, included islet and stem cell transplantation.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/diabetes-research-institute-foundation-joins-193300513.html
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Right back to the news in a moment but first we’ve got a new sponsor. As I mentioned, The T1D Exchange Registry is an online research study, designed to harness the power of individuals with type 1 diabetes. It’s a research study conducted online over time, designed to foster innovation and improve the lives of people with T1D. Personal information remains confidential and participation is fully voluntary. Once enrolled, participants will complete annual surveys and have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on specific topics related to T1D. By sharing opinions, experiences and data, patients can help advance meaningful T1D treatment, care and policy Sign up at T1DExchange.org slash Stacey (that’s S-T-A-C-E-Y).
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Insulet’s CEO is stepping down.. Shacey Petrovic has been in the role since 2019 and says she’s stepping down June first for amily reasons. Petrovec will stay on as an advisor for the next year to aid in the transition and support the company’s launch of the Omnipod 5. She’ll replaced by Jim Hollingshead, who’s been on Insulet’s Board for the last three years. He’s been the president of ResMed – a company that focuses on advances in sleep medicine- for the last 12 years.
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/insulet-swap-ceos-amid-omnipod-5-insulin-pump-roll-out
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I feel like I haven’t done a newscast in a few weeks without mentioning model Lila Moss. After being on the cover of UK Vogue and making headlines at the Met Gala, she’s now showing off her Libre and Omnipod In a new Fendi and Versace ad campaign
https://pagesix.com/2022/05/11/lila-moss-wears-diabetes-monitor-in-fendi-versace-ad-campaign/
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Got an update for you on T1D The Movie. We talked about this a few months ago – Star Trek actor Noah Averbach Katz is producing a short film with type 1 at the center. He started a kick starter campaign and got a wonderful response from the start trek community which, along with the diabetes community, fully funded the project. I got an update that he is starting filming this week. He also says if you backed the project at the level where you’d get a token of appreciation, they’re working on those too.. more to come.
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Interesting find on the toy front. I had never heard of Squishmallows but people say the stuffed toys are soothing while others say it’s just a scam and there’s nothing inherently special about the plush toys. Either way, one of the limited edition plushies is being marketed as having type 1 diabetes. There’s nothing on the toy itself to show that it might use diabetes technology – this is just listed in the toy description on line. I’m trying to find out the story behind this so letme know if you know atying!
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On this week’s long format episode, you’ll hear about the Mental Health Plus diabetes conference.. the organizers said every conference has one session on mental health – we really need more. So they did it. Love that! Next week, as I mentioned, Dexcom’s Chief Technical Officer on the G7, some interesting new info.. and I asked him all of your questions.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts
That’s In the News for this week.. if you like it, please share it! Thanks for joining me! See you back here soon.