Blog | 8/6/2025
Key Takeaways from the ADA 2025
Conference Overview and Major Themes
Darcy Krzynowek, Vice President at Health Advances, attended The American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) annual meeting. Read this blog to learn about key themes from the conference!
The 2025 ADA Scientific Session was fantastic. The conference reflected the extraordinary advancements in diabetes knowledge and care over the decades, while unveiling the latest breakthroughs of today. Several themes emerged as I walked the booths and tried to catch as many sessions as possible. The five themes I noted were: 1. obesity and weight management, 2. innovative therapies for diabetes (both type 1 and type 2), 3. emerging technology advancements and digital health solutions, 4. preventive medicine and disease modification, and 5. patient-centered approaches in diabetes care.
Obesity as a Key Driver and Target: A significant portion of discussions revolved around obesity – recognized not only as a major risk factor for diabetes but as a treatable condition in its own right. New clinical data on obesity treatments and the ADA’s first-ever Standards of Care for Overweight and Obesity were unveiled, formally acknowledging obesity as a chronic disease requiring evidence-based management.
Advances in Therapies for Diabetes: From novel drugs for people living with type 2 diabetes (like once-weekly insulins and oral GLP-1 receptor agonists) to cutting-edge beta-cell replacement therapies inching closer to a cure for people living with type 1 diabetes, the conference highlighted a pipeline of treatments that could transform diabetes management. Several major clinical trial results were presented, demonstrating improved outcomes in glycemic control, weight reduction, and even remission of diabetes in some cases (detailed in later sections).
Technology and Data in Diabetes Care: Building on trends from recent years, diabetes technology was front and center and where I spent a large portion of my time. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) advances, including next-generation sensors (like a dual glucose-and-ketone sensor) and broader adoption across populations, including consumers, were hot topics. Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems and pumps, interoperability between devices, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics in diabetes management were extensively discussed.
Prevention and Disease Modification: The conference highlighted that we are entering an era not just of better treatments, but of potentially preventing or modifying disease progression. For people living with type 1 diabetes, this included updates on immunotherapies like Teplizumab (Tzield), the first drug to delay onset of T1D, which was celebrated as a breakthrough in preventive care. Early screening (autoantibody testing, genetic risk) and early intervention strategies were discussed. In type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, sessions on prevention emphasized lifestyle interventions (such as diet changes) and early risk monitoring as key to curbing the diabetes epidemic.
Patient-Centered and Holistic Care: Many speakers stressed the importance of addressing the psychosocial aspects of diabetes and ensuring equity in care. There were sessions on the emotional and psychological impact of living with diabetes, highlighting concepts like “diabetes identity” and strategies to reduce burnout and improve mental well-being. The patient perspective was prominently featured – beyond Anthony Anderson’s talk, numerous discussions incorporated patient experiences, emphasizing that effective diabetes care must be compassionate, personalized, and inclusive. Health equity was another cross-cutting theme, with data presented on disparities (for example, access to technology like CGMs in underserved populations) and calls to close those gaps.
Implications for the Diabetes and Healthcare Industry
Therapeutic Landscape Changes: With new classes of drugs (like dual agonists, oral biologics, weekly insulins) and even cures on the horizon, pharmaceutical and biotech companies are in a race. We can expect accelerated investments in metabolic disease research. For healthcare providers, staying updated and adapting treatment protocols (e.g., initiating GLP-1 therapy in obesity earlier, using immunotherapy for prevention in relatives of T1 patients, etc.) will be critical. The industry may see shifts in market share as these novel therapies emerge (for example, oral GLP-1s may compete with injectables, weekly insulins with daily ones, etc.).
Technology Integration and Data: Tech companies in the diabetes space will push further for device integration and partnerships. Electronic health record systems might incorporate more diabetes device data automatically, and clinic workflows will adjust to handle data influx. The successful use of AI in trials and hospital settings will encourage broader adoption of AI tools, but also raise questions about regulation, data privacy, and the need for validation studies. Startups with diabetes AI solutions may find more receptive healthcare systems, but also more competition as big players incorporate AI features.
Patient Empowerment: Most notably, ADA 2025 highlighted empowering the people living with these conditions – through technology, through education, and through advocacy. This should drive industry to invest more in tools that facilitate patient self-management.
While my feet were sore, I was energized. I wish I could have attended all the sessions and stopped by all the booths. The conference showed that the coming years will bring transformational changes in how diabetes and other metabolic conditions will be treated and managed. I, and my colleagues in the Biopharma, Diagnostic, Digital, and Health IT space, are excited to be engaged in this dynamic industry.
Sources
1.The American Diabetes Association Debuts the 85th Scientific Sessions
2. ADA 2025: A Landmark Gathering for Diabetes Innovation and Advocacy
3.ADA 85th Sessions: Breakthroughs in Diabetes and Obesity
4. The biggest diabetes tech stories out of ADA 2025, drugdeliverybusiness.com
5. 2025 ADA Highlights: A New Era for GLP-1 Therapies in Obesity
6. Jennifer Okemah: CDCES Takeaways from ADA 2025 - T1D Exchange
7. ADA 2025 Recap: Improving Lives - breakthrought1d.org, breakthrought1d.org
8. Key takeaways from ADA 2025: The future of inpatient diabetes care, glytec.com
9. ADA 2025 Recap: Cures - breakthrought1d.org, breakthrought1d.org