New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes affects how the body uses glucose, a sugar the body needs for energy. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body destroys insulin-making cells in the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes, the more common form, develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't produce enough. Treatment has expanded from insulin and metformin to include newer drugs that lower blood sugar while protecting the heart and kidneys.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing closed-loop insulin systems that adjust doses automatically, drugs that preserve beta cells in newly diagnosed type 1, and weight-loss medications that also improve blood sugar control in type 2. Researchers are studying cell replacement therapies to restore insulin production, and testing whether preventing autoimmune attack can delay or stop type 1 diabetes in high-risk individuals.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on diabetes type, time since diagnosis, current A1C level, presence of complications, and which medications someone is already taking.

What types of trials are currently open

• Prevention trials — Testing whether medications or other interventions can delay or prevent type 1 diabetes in people at high risk based on antibodies or family history.
• Beta cell trials — Studies testing drugs that might preserve or restore insulin-producing cells, often enrolling people recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
• Device trials — Testing insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, and closed-loop systems that automate insulin delivery.
• Medication trials — Testing new drugs for blood sugar control, weight loss, or protection of the heart and kidneys in type 2 diabetes.
• Complication studies — Following people with diabetes to understand how treatments affect long-term complications like kidney disease, nerve damage, and heart disease.