Global healthcare giant Abbott has revealed that its FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system helps people with Type 2 diabetes achieve better glucose control than traditional fingerstick testing.
The findings come from the FreeDM2 randomized controlled trial, conducted at 24 U.K. clinical sites with 303 participants, compared real-time CGM with standard self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in people using basal insulin.
At four months, participants using FreeStyle Libre cut their HbA1c by 0.6% and spent 2.5 more hours per day in a healthy glucose range (70–180 mg/dL) — even while already taking advanced therapies like SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP‑1 receptor agonists.
"This study demonstrates the power of real-time glucose information for people with Type 2 diabetes treated with basal insulin," said Emma Wilmot, associate professor of diabetes and endocrinology at the University of Nottingham and co-lead investigator of FreeDM2.
"Even when people with Type 2 diabetes are already receiving advanced therapies, such as SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP‑1 receptor agonists, adding real‑time glucose visibility delivered meaningful improvements. People were able to proactively use the insights CGM provided to adjust their diet, basal insulin and activity to deliver better outcomes," added Lala Leelarathna, associate professor of metabolic medicine at Imperial College London and co-lead investigator of the study.
The results were echoed by an Italian interventional study tracking 88 adults with Type 2 diabetes on basal insulin using FreeStyle Libre. After three months, participants showed better average glucose levels, more time in range, and improved quality of life.
"Across both studies, real‑time glucose visibility gives people the understanding they need to make small, informed adjustments throughout the day," said Mahmood Kazemi, chief medical officer for Abbott's diabetes care business.
"In the FreeDM2 study, people made these adjustments on their own. Seeing similar patterns in the Italian study reinforces that the value comes from continuous access to glucose information itself, rather than from any single device feature."
