Medtronic begins US launch of the MiniMed 780G system with the Instinct sensor, made by Abbott

On December 2, 2025, Medtronic announced the broad US commercial launch of its MiniMed 780G system integrated with the Instinct sensor, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) made by Abbott and designed only for MiniMed systems.[1] The company said the system was already shipping to customers across the United States that day.[1]

What Medtronic announced

The release tied the launch to an FDA clearance from "earlier this year" that let the 780G system work with the Instinct sensor.[1] Medtronic said Instinct is based on Abbott's CGM technology and can be worn for up to 15 days.[1] Paired with the 780G, the sensor sends real-time glucose readings that the system uses to adjust insulin automatically every five minutes.[1] That every-five-minutes adjustment comes from SmartGuard, the 780G's automated delivery feature, according to a footnote in the release.[1]

Instinct joined two sensors Medtronic already offered with its pumps. The release named the Simplera Sync sensor, which it described as recently launched, and the Guardian 4 sensor.[1] Medtronic presented Instinct as a third choice, not a replacement for either one.[1]

The release also quoted Dr. Steve Edelman, founder and director of Taking Control of Your Diabetes, who said feedback from "the early customer pilot program" had been very positive.[1] Medtronic disclosed that it sponsors that organization and that Dr. Edelman was not paid for the quote.[1] The release gave no dates or size for the pilot.

The FDA clearance behind the launch

Medtronic did not give a clearance number in the release. When we searched the FDA's 510(k) database, we found two Medtronic clearances from 2025 that describe how the 780G works with outside sensors, though neither names Instinct.

On July 1, 2025, the FDA cleared the MiniMed 780G insulin pump as an alternate controller enabled (ACE) pump, a pump built to take commands from compatible dosing software.[2] Its summary says the pump receives glucose data over Bluetooth from a compatible integrated CGM (iCGM) or a compatible Medtronic CGM.[2] On August 29, 2025, the FDA cleared SmartGuard technology as software meant for use with compatible iCGMs, Medtronic CGMs and ACE pumps.[3] That summary also describes a plan for adding new compatible sensors and pumps later.[3]

Who can use it

The launch release did not say who is eligible. The FDA summaries fill in part of that. The pump is indicated for people 7 and older and requires a prescription.[2] As cleared in August 2025, SmartGuard is intended for type 1 diabetes in people 7 and older who require insulin, also by prescription.[3]

What this means for you

Medtronic said the MiniMed 780G system with the Instinct sensor was shipping to customers in the US as of December 2, 2025.[1] The release did not explain what changes for people already using a 780G with Simplera Sync or Guardian 4, and it did not list prices, insurance coverage or a date for existing users to move to Instinct. It listed Instinct as one of three sensor options, with no end date for the other two.[1] Whether Instinct makes sense for you is a question to talk over with your care team or pharmacist.