Four new automated insulin delivery systems for type 1 diabetes

Graham Daugherty • July 17, 2020

In 2023, Dr. Paul Wadwa has authored the first paper in NEJM on Control-IQ in young children and Dr. Greg Forlenza has authored the first paper in JAMA on use of Verapamil to prolong islet survival in new onset diabetes. The BDC team conducted the FDA approval studies for the Medtronic 780G, Tandem Control-IQ, Insulet OP5, and Beta Bionics iLet. We anticipate that by the end of the year there will be four excellent automated insulin delivery systems on the market in the United States and all were developed and studied as part of the work of our team at BDC.

Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker medication originally FDA approved in 1981 to treat heart arrhythmias which is also used to treat high blood pressure. Basic science studies showed that it also inhibits a protein necessary for cell death in islets due to high blood sugar. Our on year randomized controlled trial funded by JDRF showed that it helped significantly improve islet survival. It is a once daily oral medication for which the generic costs $8-12 per month even without insurance.

The Medtroinc 780G with Guardian 4 CGM is the first Advanced Hybrid Closed Loop device from Medtronic. The system achieves >70% time in target range for the average user without the need for finger-stick testing. It also has an advanced algorithm to detect if a meal has been eaten without the user blousing and then minimize hyperglycemia after the meal. The Adult Diabetes Clinic under Dr. Satish Garg and the Pediatric Diabetes Clinic under Dr. Robert Slover conducted the FDA approval testing on the system resulting in FDA approval of the ACHL algorithm and the updated sensor.

A black and white photo of a person with an insulin pump on their stomach
By Dr. Holly O'Donnell April 3, 2026
Type 1 diabetes affects mental health in youth and families. Learn about risks like depression, anxiety, and distress, plus support options and when to seek help.
A young boy in a white sweater is standing next to a cabinet.
By R. Paul Wadwa, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at the BDC April 2, 2026
Type 1 diabetes is often misdiagnosed as flu, UTI, or viral illness. Learn key symptoms, DKA warning signs, and when to ask your doctor for testing to avoid delays.
Author and type 1  diabetic Madeline in a research lab
By Madeline VanOrman March 20, 2026
Follow one patient’s journey with type 1 diabetes from childhood diagnosis to college life, sharing challenges, independence, and finding support along the way.
Three young type 1 girls with CGMs on their arms.
By CDF Staff March 18, 2026
Donate your Colorado state tax refund to the Children’s Diabetes Foundation. Learn how to use form DR 0104CH to support T1D patients and families.
A group of people are posing for a picture in a living room.
By Stacy Robinson June 14, 2024
With Father’s Day just around the corner, I am thinking about my dad even more than I usually do. He was a special man who lived a remarkable, impactful life right up until the day he passed away at the age of 98, a little over a year and a half ago. He was a decorated World War II veteran, a bookie in Vegas during the Rat Pack era who married the love of his life between rounds of a prize fight, and who later went on to become a successful entrepreneur. Most importantly though, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
A man and a woman are posing for a picture in a parking lot.
By Lindsay Klatt June 14, 2024
Author: Lindsay Klatt Being the dad of two daughters already has its highs and lows; having one of them (who admittedly was already a little feisty) diagnosed with type 1 diabetes makes him a saint. My wonderful dad navigated these challenges with such love and grace. As we approach Father’s Day and as I recently celebrated my 27th Diaversary, I reflect on the things he deserves to be thanked for. There are too many to count and no way to properly express gratitude for the additional struggles type 1 fathers face, but here’s a toast to a few of the things etched on my heart: Cheers to my dad who, when I was diagnosed, had the best balance of acknowledging the sadness of the event and being encouraging for the future. It made me feel seen to see him upset, and to see him determined. He has always maintained that balance I am so grateful for.
T1D patient Dylan Archer on race track.
By Dylan Archer March 8, 2024
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 8, Dylan refused to give up racing. Read his inspiring journey of resilience, technology, and championship success with T1D.
Two girl scouts are standing next to each other in a room filled with boxes.
By Graham Daugherty January 9, 2024
By: Sarah Hathaway On October 10th, 2022 I earned my Life rank in Scouts BSA and began focusing on what was once a faraway goal: Eagle Scout. I had some ideas for my project and I knew I wanted to do something that means a lot to me and benefits as many people as possible; this led me to think about the Children’s Diabetes Foundation. I am an advocate for the organization and I know CDF has made an impact on others just like me so I was hoping I could come up with a plan to help families affected by T1D. I reached out to the Community Engagement Manager, Sydney. I believe that she was really confused and might not have heard about Eagle Projects before so she asked all about what I was looking to do and we talked about different options for projects. I asked her about the newly diagnosed onset bags for people with T1D that I remembered receiving from CDF when I was diagnosed in 2021. This was last June and we were both volunteering at the T1D Strong soccer camp. As camp went on we talked a lot and I offered some more ideas and the plan started coming together. I started to talk to diabetes-related companies to get additional informational materials to put in the bags. I got in contact with Dino from Omnipod and he was very helpful. He sent me a lot of informational packets, games, and even fake Omnipods for new patients to try before spending a lot of money on new technology. Unfortunately, other companies and organizations were not as responsive but there was already a lot of helpful stuff from CDF to go into the bags. I also did a fundraiser before my Eagle Project workday. I set a goal to raise money to put a restaurant gift card in each new onset bag because I remember going to lunch together as a family when I was discharged from the hospital. I knew that families could use that gift card and not have to worry about where to go. As I was fundraising, I found out that the Scouts BSA district person that I was working with, Pat, was associated with KFC. Pat put me in contact with the Regional Manager of KFC and through this contact, KFC donated 100 gift cards for the bags. Finally, on November 11th, 2023, I was able to carry out my project. I had been planning this for months and I was both nervous and excited. Sydney was kind enough to be at the CDF office on a day that she does not normally work and was so supportive. We set up the office to pack the bags and then people started to show up to help. We were able to do the project and even though we were only going to make 100 bags, the group ended up filling about 150 bags in less than an hour! Sydney and I then did a community information talk to over 30 people about our experiences with T1D and answered a lot of questions. It was awesome to look out in the audience at my Scout friends, neighbors, teachers, and family.
Type 1 Diabetes teenager on soccer field
By Gracie Lambrecht January 9, 2024
Learn about a teenage T1D soccer player. Discover tips for managing blood sugar, using CGM and insulin pumps, and staying game-ready as an athlete with T1D.