⁵The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is working to make available a new treatment, the first of its kind, that can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes for up to three years.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved the use of the drug "teplizumab," and Diabetes UK has hailed the decision as "the beginning of a new era in treatment."
Teplizumab, which is sold under the name Tzeled and is produced by Sanofi, belongs to the class of immunotherapies and has been approved for use in children aged eight years and older, as well as adults in the very early stages of the disease before symptoms appear.
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the pancreas cells responsible for producing insulin.
The drug works by "redirecting" the immune system so that it slows down or stops attacking those cells, which helps to delay the progression of the disease.
Studies indicate that a single dose of teplizumab, given over 14 days via intravenous injection, can delay the onset of diabetes for years, giving patients a longer period before they need insulin therapy or intensive daily disease management.
NICE estimates that around 1,100 people may be eligible for treatment in the first year, with the number subsequently decreasing to around 820 people per year.
Dr. Elizabeth Robertson of the British Diabetes Association said this development represents a "historic event," noting that for the first time in almost a century, a treatment has emerged that targets the root cause of the disease rather than relying solely on insulin.
She added that "early detection of the disease will be a crucial factor in benefiting from this treatment," stressing the importance of ensuring that it is accessed fairly to all those who are eligible.
In the same context, two major studies are underway in Britain to examine and diagnose type 1 diabetes in its early stages, which provides greater opportunities to use "Teplizumab" before symptoms develop.
