Medtronic just dropped a big tease on social media—a brand-new CGM is on the way, and it’s being produced by none other than Abbott.

From the images they shared, it appears to be based on the Libre 3 Plus design, but this won’t be your off-the-shelf Libre. The sensor will be proprietary to Medtronic, working only with their ecosystem—starting with the MiniMed 780G and continuing with their next-generation line of pumps. That means you can’t just grab a Libre 3 Plus from the pharmacy and expect it to work; Abbott will manufacture the sensor, but Medtronic will control the sales, software, and integration. The sensor is 510(k) pending for Medtronic’s interoperable system and is currently under review by the FDA, which will determine when it can officially launch.

If you’ve been following my coverage, you know Medtronic’s current focus in the CGM world has been the Simplera—their first fully disposable, seven-day sensor. But Simplera hasn’t had the smoothest rollout. There are ongoing production limitations, and I’ve heard from multiple users in Europe who can’t get it at all right now. Could this mean Medtronic is considering phasing out Simplera? The Libre-like CGM will likely offer longer wear-time (up to 15 days) and a smaller form factor, making it more competitive with Dexcom and Abbott setups on other insulin pumps. This could also mean MiniMed pumps could get Abbott’s upcoming dual glucose-ketone sensor already expected on other systems.

All of this comes amid a whirlwind of change at the company. Medtronic is in the process of spinning off its diabetes division into a standalone company called MiniMed, it’s developing a next generation 8-Series pump and tubeless pump which we’ve covered here. It’s an exciting (and slightly mysterious) time for Medtronic users—lots of potential, plenty of unknowns.

Will this be the beginning of a true multi-sensor ecosystem for their pumps, or the quiet sunset of Simplera? Only time will tell as Medtronic says it will “share more details about the Instinct sensor when it’s commercially available.” Let me know what you expect in the comments and check out my commentary on the Medtronic and Abbott collab in the video below.

Disclaimer: Diabetech content is not medical advice—it’s for educational purposes only. Always consult with a physician before making changes to your healthcare.