Scientists are one step closer to finding a way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Research has just come out on a drug that can delay the onset of the disease by two years.
Type 1 diabetes – what is it?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. This means that the body attacks itself – in this case, the cells of the pancreas. This keeps the body from producing insulin and unable to metabolize sugars. As a result, hyperglycemia, i.e. elevated blood glucose levels, occurs.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes they appear most often at a young age – in children and adolescents. Patients complain of drowsiness, fatigue, lack of appetite, increased thirst or frequent urination. Despite many studies, scientists still do not know what causes type 1 diabetes. Probably genetic factors decide.
Type 1 diabetes prevention
During the meeting of the American Diabetes Association, the results of research on a biological drug called teplizumab were presented. Researchers investigated whether the drug could be effective in preventing type 1 diabetes. The results of the experiment were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
76 people, including 55 children, participated in the study. Participants were at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes – their relatives had cases of the disease, had high blood sugar levels, and had antibodies directed against pancreatic islet antigens.
The subjects were divided into two groups. The first of them took teplizumab for 14 days, and the second – placebo. All of them had their blood glucose levels checked regularly.
As it turned out? As many as 72 percent people in the control group developed type 1 diabetes. In turn, among the participants taking the drug, only 43 percent were reported. diabetes cases. Interestingly, in patients taking teplizumab, clinical diabetes appeared on average two later than in those taking placebo.
Diabetologists say the results of this study are really promising. Type 1 diabetes has been delayed for the first time. Teplizumab interferes with the body’s destruction of its own cells. The authors of the study say that it is immune therapy that may be effective in treating an autoimmune disease like type 1 diabetes.
Doctors hope that this is the first step towards finding a way to prevent this disease. Teplizumab is an immunosuppressive drug. It is currently used to prevent transplant rejection.