New Diabetes Technology Coming in 2022

Minimed 780 and Guardian 4 CGM sensor

Many are also waiting for Medtronic’s next-generation combo insulin pump and CGM sensor system, which will be the 780G — also known as the Advanced Hybrid Closed Loop (AHCL) system. This system will expand upon the foundation of Medtronic’s first two iterations: the 670G and 770G; the latter already offers built-in Bluetooth for remote updating of the technology in the future.

This new tech will keep the basic form factor of the company’s 6-series pump models with a vertical “modern” look, compared to the older models with a horizontal design that resembled 1980s pagers.

The 780G has many new features:

Notably, right from the start, Medtronic has asked FDA regulators to OK this new system for adults and kids as young as 2 years old.

The company had planned to file the 780G for review soon after its investor update in late 2020, but that ended up being delayed until Feb. 23, 2021. Due to concerning FDA warnings about Medtronic’s facilities and product development, the approval timeline and launch remains TBD.

Extended 7-day wear infusion set

Of course, Medtronic did get FDA clearance in July 2021 for its new extended-wear infusion set, designed to last more than twice as long as existing infusion sets that connect traditional tubed pumps to the body for insulin delivery. That means it can be worn on the body for up to 7 days — compared to existing sets that must be changed out every 2 or 3 days.

This new extended infusion set introduces changes to the tubing material and a redesigned connector to reduce the loss of preservatives, prevent tube occlusions (insulin clogs in pump tubing) and keep the insulin chemically and physically stable over time. Medtronic specifically points to a “novel and proprietary approach” that addresses insulin degradation, preservative loss, and occlusions — all things that can result in disrupted insulin delivery and therefore higher blood sugars.

The extended-wear set also has a more skin-friendly adhesive designed to allow longer, more comfortable wear on the body. The company reports that participants in a 100-person European study commented on the new infusion set being more comfortable compared to their previous infusion sets and saw this as a meaningful improvement that reduced the overall burden of insulin pump therapy.

Clinical data also shows that people using this new set might save 5 to 10 vials of insulin per year because it eliminates the many units of insulin currently wasted by the requirement to change out an infusion set every few days. Less frequent set changes also allow skin site locations to rest and heal, Medtronic points out.

Medtronic hasn’t specified when this new extended-wear set will actually launch, but it will be in 2022, and the pricing details will be offered at that time.