New research from MiniMed indicates that users who respond more frequently to alerts from its Smart MDI system experience significant improvements in glucose control, highlighting the importance of timely prompts in diabetes care.
MiniMed said new trial data suggest that people with type 1 diabetes may do better with its Smart MDI system when they respond more often to alerts about missed insulin doses and high glucose. In the six-month randomised study, involving 143 adults and children with type 1 diabetes whose HbA1c was above 8%, higher responders recorded, on average, 8.1 percentage points more time in range and a 0.6 percentage-point lower HbA1c than lower responders, according to the company’s presentation at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting.
The company argued that the findings support a broader point about multiple daily injections: timely prompts may matter as much as extra data. MiniMed said its system links the InPen smart insulin pen with a continuous glucose monitor through the MiniMed Go app, allowing users to see glucose information, calculate doses and receive reminders when a dose is missed or glucose rises. In a statement, chief executive Que Dallara said the aim is to reduce the mental load of day-to-day diabetes management by helping users remember, remind and recommend actions when they are needed.
The new trial results fit into a wider body of evidence showing that connected insulin systems can improve glucose control, although the exact benefits vary by device and study design. Research published in PubMed on automated insulin delivery systems has found improvements in HbA1c and time in range compared with multiple daily injections, while another trial in adults with type 1 diabetes and poor control also reported higher time in range with automated insulin delivery. MiniMed also pointed to earlier work on its own advanced hybrid closed-loop system, which it said showed better HbA1c and time in range than injections with continuous glucose monitoring.
MiniMed added that its Smart MDI system met the primary endpoint of the trial and was non-inferior to multiple daily injections with continuous glucose monitoring for glycaemic outcomes. The company said no severe hypoglycaemia or diabetic ketoacidosis events were reported in the Smart MDI arm. It also cited real-world analysis of more than 5,500 users, in which higher responders had a 9.4 percentage-point time-in-range advantage over lower responders, though HbA1c was not assessed in that dataset.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
