CONNECT data support CGM use in non-insulin type 2 diabetes management | ADA 2026

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with the Dexcom G7 produced a clinically and statistically significant reduction in A1C among adults with type 2 diabetes not using insulin, according to results from the CONNECT randomized controlled trial presented today at the 2026 Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in New Orleans.

The findings mark the first level A evidence — the highest grade recognized by the ADA — supporting CGM use in this population, and investigators say they expect the data to reshape diabetes management in primary care.

"Since many of the patients with type 2 diabetes who use oral or non-insulin injectable therapies are seen in primary care settings, continuous glucose monitoring provides an opportunity to close a visible care gap," Thomas W. Martens, M.D., co-author of the study, said in a press release. "As the first major randomized controlled trial evaluating CGM in individuals with type 2 diabetes not using insulin, these findings can help reshape diabetes management and expand treatment options for patients, improve glucose levels and A1C management for clinicians, and ultimately reduce diabetes-related complications."

Participants using Dexcom G7 achieved an average 1.6% A1C reduction from baseline over 26 weeks — a 0.9% greater reduction than the routine care control group. At week 26, 68% of CGM users reached an A1C below 7.5%, and 46% reached below 7.0%. Among participants with a baseline A1C above 10%, the average reduction reached 3.1%, more than 2 percentage points greater than controls. Eighty-two percent of CGM users achieved a reduction of at least 0.5%.

“The CONNECT study released today is the first and only level A evidence demonstrating strong benefit of CGM for the type 2 non-insulin–using population,” Roy Beck, MD, PhD, medical director of the JAEB Center for Health Research and senior author of the study, said in a press release. “Level A evidence, the highest level of evidence graded by the ADA, has historically driven meaningful changes in standards of care.”

Time in the glucose target range of 70 to 180 mg/dL was five hours per day greater for CGM users compared with controls, with the CGM group averaging 62% time in range versus 41% in the control group. Improvements in time in range appeared as early as weeks one through four and were sustained through the full 26-week study period. Median device usage was 97% throughout the trial.

CONNECT enrolled 283 adults with type 2 diabetes not on insulin therapy across 22 primary care practices in the United States, and a total of 265 patients completed the trial. Eligible participants had an A1C ranging from 7.1% to 14.9% and were randomized 1:1 to Dexcom G7 CGM or routine care with standard blood glucose meter testing for 26 weeks. The mean patient age was 60 years, 32% of participants identified as a racial or ethnic minority, and the mean baseline A1C was 8.8%, with 31% of participants at or above 9.0%.

All participants received education on diet and exercise for diabetes management at study entry and continued pre-study glucose-lowering medications. Approximately 40% of participants were using an incretin-based medication such as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and 37% were using an SGLT2 inhibitor.

The CGM benefit was additive across medication classes. Among participants using GLP-1-based therapies, CGM produced a 1.4% A1C reduction compared with 0.2% in controls. Among SGLT2 inhibitor users, the reduction was 1.8% versus 0.7%. CGM users also reported greater treatment satisfaction and meaningfully reduced diabetes distress and disease burden compared with the routine care group.

A six-month extension phase is currently underway and will provide durability data through 12 months.