Individuals from Central New York were among the more than 300 clinical trial participants involved in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that has demonstrated that automated insulin delivery (AID) systems can significantly improve glycemic control in adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.  

“This is the first randomized trial showing the effectiveness of using this technology in adults with type 2 diabetes.  The use of AID technology could potentially benefit millions of people living with type 2 diabetes, and hopefully will help these individuals avoid or forestall diabetes-related complications” said Ruth Weinstock, MD/PhD, Distinguished Service Professor and medical director of the Clinical Research Unit and Joslin Diabetes Center at Upstate.

This randomized controlled trial shows that AID led to a greater reduction in glycated hemoglobin levels compared to traditional insulin delivery methods with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).  Other outcomes found in the study, such as time spent in the target glucose range (70-180 mg/dL), also favored the AID system, with participants in the AID group spending an additional 3.4 hours per day within the desired range compared to those using CGM with their usual insulin regimens.

The Joslin Diabetes Center at Upstate Medical University was one of 21 sites in North America—and only one of two in New York—to enroll individuals in this 13-week study. Upstate enrolled its first patient in the study in September 2023. The trial involved 319 participants aged 19 to 87, all of whom were using insulin for type 2 diabetes management

This randomized controlled trial is the first to confirm the efficacy and safety of automated insulin delivery systems in a large, diverse group of adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. The findings suggest that AID systems can be a valuable tool in improving glycemic control not only for individuals with type 1 diabetes but also for insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes, without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. 

Upstate’s Joslin Diabetes Center Endocrine Research Team, led by Dr. Weinstock and Suzan Bzdick RN CCRC, CDCES, is frequently called on to participate in such trials because of its reputation and expertise in conducting such trials and for being recognized as one of the national leaders in diabetes clinical research. The trial was conducted on Upstate’s Clinical Research Unit, a core facility that is available for Upstate faculty engaged in research involving human participants.