Cardiac surgeon-scientist and Professor at University of Toronto and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery

Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

HCPLive Five at ADA Scientific Sessions 2025

2025 American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions, held June 20–23 in Chicago

, reflected a shifting paradigm in diabetes care prioritizing comprehensive approaches to glucose management, cardiometabolic health, and patient-centered outcomes. This year’s meeting featured a diverse slate of groundbreaking research spanning automated insulin delivery, weekly insulin alternatives, and novel interventions tackling unique drivers of glycemic dysregulation.

Among the most talked-about data were CIRCUIT trial findings on automated insulin delivery systems improving time-in-range during pregnancy; the QWINT program’s demonstration that once-weekly insulin efsitora alfa can effectively replace daily basal insulin; and evidence supporting prediabetes remission as a superior goal to weight loss for type 2 diabetes prevention. Additional highlights included the CATALYST trial’s success with mifepristone in hypercortisolism-related diabetes and the STRIDE trial’s new insights into semaglutide’s effects on walking capacity and disease progression in patients with type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease.

Hybrid Closed Loop Insulin Improves Time in Range for T1D During Pregnancy, with Lois Donovan, MD, and Denice Feig, MD, MSc

The CIRCUIT trial compared an automated insulin delivery (AID) system using Control-IQ technology to standard care in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes, presented at ADA 2025 by Lois Donovan, MD, and Denice Feig, MD. Participants using the hybrid closed-loop system achieved a 12.6% (95% CI, 9.9–15.2; 

<.001) higher time in range during pregnancy (TIRp) compared with standard care (65.4% vs. 50.3%). Additionally, the AID group had 11.4% (95% CI, 8.6–14.2; 

<.001) less time above range, 1.04% (95% CI, 0.6–1.48; 

<.001) less time below 63 mg/dL, and a mean glucose 11.2 mg/dL lower than standard care (95% CI, 7.2–16.2; 

Once-Weekly Insulin Efsitora a Practical Option for Type 2 Diabetes, with Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD

The QWINT-3 phase 3 trial investigated weekly insulin efsitora alfa versus daily insulin degludec in patients with type 2 diabetes switching from basal insulin, presented at ADA 2025 by Athena Philis-Tsimikas, MD. Weekly efsitora injections were non-inferior to daily degludec for glycemic control, supporting its potential as a practical alternative. Philis-Tsimikas noted the findings suggest switching to weekly insulin could substantially reduce treatment burden for patients.

Glycemic Control Trumps Weight Loss for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, with Arvid Sandforth, MD

A prediabetes lifestyle intervention study presented by Arvid Sandforth, MD, at ADA 2025 showed achieving normal glycemia, regardless of weight change, provided the same protective effect against developing type 2 diabetes. Participants achieving glycemic remission experienced significantly reduced T2D incidence even if they maintained or gained weight, compared to those who did not normalize glycemia. The multicenter German study highlighted that while weight loss remains a powerful tool, achieving glycemic control should be prioritized as the primary prevention target.

Diabetes Dialogue: CATALYST Trial, Mifepristone, and Hypercortisolism in T2D, with John Buse, MD, PhD

The phase 4 CATALYST trial enrolled 1055 adults with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c >7.5% despite optimized therapy, screening for hypercortisolism using dexamethasone suppression testing, which identified a 24% prevalence (95% CI, 21.4–26.7%). In part 2, 136 patients with confirmed hypercortisolism were randomized 2:1 to mifepristone or placebo for 24 weeks, with mifepristone reducing HbA1c by 1.3 percentage points versus placebo (95% CI, –1.81 to –0.83; 

 <.001). Secondary outcomes showed reductions of 5.12 kg in body weight (95% CI, –8.20 to –2.03) and 5.1 cm in waist circumference (95% CI, –8.23 to –1.99) relative to placebo.

New Data Supports Protective Vascular Effects of Semaglutide in T2D and PAD, with Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

The STRIDE trial randomized 792 adults with T2D and PAD to semaglutide (n=396) or placebo (n=396) for 52 weeks, presented by Subodh Verma, MD, PhD, at ADA 2025. Patients receiving semaglutide showed a median baseline-adjusted maximum walking distance ratio of 1.21 compared with 1.08 for placebo. Semaglutide also reduced the risk of a composite disease progression endpoint—including death, major adverse limb events, or rescue medication use—by 54% relative to placebo.

These 5 represent only some of the data the 

 team covered at this year's meeting! Check out more KOL insight and our full conference coverage on our 

Videos

From uncovering new benefits of semaglutide to targeting hypercortisolism in people with type 2 diabetes, here are 5 key updates from the annual meeting.

Semaglutide Offers Functional and Vascular Gains in PAD and T2D, with Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

Semaglutide continues to expand the borders of its benefits, with new data presenting it as a promising option for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and peripheral artery disease (PAD). 

These findings, from the STRIDE trial, were presented by Subodh Verma, MD, PhD, cardiac surgeon-scientist and Professor at University of Toronto and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery, at the 

2025 American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions

Over 52 weeks, Verma and colleagues found that semaglutide demonstrated benefits on symptoms, quality of life, and disease progression compared to placebo. On maximum walking distance, the semaglutide group had a median ratio from baseline of 1.21 compared to 1.08 in the placebo group. Participants also had a 54% risk reduction in a composite disease progression endpoint which included deaths, major adverse limb events, or the need for rescue medication. Verma and colleagues found that semaglutide was well tolerated, with findings in line with its known safety profile.

 spoke with Verma during the conference to learn more about the new findings that support semaglutide's use for people with PAD. With an expanding treatment toolkit, he emphasized how clinicians should not hesitate to use these tools at their disposal, and that SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists can be complementary therapies. He also outlined some gaps in clinician education and further questions he would like to answer with semaglutide in this new potential indication.

"If we are to win the war against diabetes and cardiovascular complications, then  knowledge like this will have to be coupled with pragmatic solutions with the goal of overcoming clinical inertia. And that, I think, is the biggest impediment in terms of making progress, is not just generating knowledge, but implementing that knowledge. So I think if we can come together as a community, have more conversations like this, find sort of simple and durable solutions to get this information into guidelines and into practice patterns, then I think we'll be able to close the care gap effectively," Verma told 

Verma’s disclosures include Abbott, Amarin, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.

Verma S. Rationale and Key Results from STRIDE Trial. Presented at: ADA 2025; June 20-23; Chicago, Illinois.

Verma discussed how recent advances in the field affect clinician management of  type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease.

Expanding the Armamentarium for T2D and PAD With Semaglutide, with Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

"Unexpected, unanticipated and entirely novel effects of a GLP-1 RA such as semaglutide in this population" - Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

Semaglutide has demonstrated promising benefits on symptoms, quality of life, and disease progression in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), in new data from the STRIDE trial.

 2025 American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions, held June 20-23, in Chicago, Illinois

, by Subodh Verma, MD, PhD, cardiac surgeon-scientist and Professor at University of Toronto and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery.

Over 52 weeks, Verma and colleagues found that semaglutide (n = 396) was associated with a significant improvement in maximum walking distance compared to placebo (n = 396). The semaglutide group had a median ratio from baseline in maximum walking distance of 1.21 compared to 1.08 in the placebo group. Participants in the semaglutide group also had a 54% risk reduction in a composite disease progression endpoint which included deaths, major adverse limb events, or the need for rescue medication. Semaglutide was well tolerated, with findings in line with its known safety profile.

 spoke with Verma during the conference to learn more about the landmark findings from STRIDE. He discussed how these the new findings have added to the literature on semaglutide and GLP-1 receptor agonists in the field. He emphasized the burgeoning role of semaglutide as a protective vascular medication, which, while it does need to be further corroborated, represents a breakthrough for this class of drugs.

"This really adds to the overall sort of thesis that these are vascular drugs, that these are drugs that are not necessarily just therapies for weight or a1c that the benefits transcend those effects on weight and... are probably mediated through, cardiometabolic risk factor modification, potentially direct vascular effects, and they should really be viewed as vascular medications, in addition to the plethora of benefits that we already have seen with this class of medication," Verma told 

Verma discussed how new data from the STRIDE trial support the role of GLP-1 RAs as protective vascular medications.

Updated data from the STRIDE trial demonstrate semaglutide’s beneficial effects on symptoms, quality of life, and disease progression in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and peripheral artery disease (PAD).

These findings were presented by Subodh Verma, MD, PhD, cardiac surgeon-scientist and Professor at University of Toronto and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery, at the 

The newest data show that over 52 weeks, semaglutide (n = 396) was associated with a significant improvement in maximum walking distance compared to placebo (n = 396), with a median ratio to baseline in maximum walking distance of 1.21 in the semaglutide group compared to 1.08 in the placebo group, as well as in hemodynamics. Participants in the semaglutide group also had a 54% reduction in disease progression risk, which accounted for deaths, major adverse limb events, or the need for rescue medication. Investigators found semaglutide’s safety in the study to be consistent with its known safety profile and well tolerated.

 spoke with Verma during the conference to learn more about the landmark findings for people with T2D and PAD. He stressed the importance of these findings given the large unmet need in this population for different medication options.

“For all of the trial endpoints, i.e. quality of life, function, hemodynamics, and disease progression, we found a favorable effect of semaglutide for people with PAD. I think this is a great win for people with diabetes who have prevalent and early-stage PAD. And, there's many reasons to use a GLP-1 RA. You don't need to have PAD to use a GLP-1 RA. But this adds yet another avenue for us to think about in the treatment of people with PAD,” Verma told 

Verma went over the STRIDE trial evaluating the GLP-1 RA and its latest findings presented at ADA Scientific Sessions.

Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

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