World-first type 1 diabetes drug trial aims to reprogram immune system

[Amity Island]

The immune system starts to recognise insulin-producing cells in the pancreas as something it needs to attack and destroy in people with type 1 diabetes — one of dozens of auto-immune diseases in which the body starts to attack itself.

Professor Thomas, who is based at UQ's Frazer Institute, said the experimental drug — dubbed ASITI-201 — was designed to retrain the immune system so it no longer attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells, known as beta cells.

The drug, given as an injection under the skin, combines fragments of a protein found in the beta cells of people with type 1 diabetes and vitamin D to calm the immune response.

Mum says new diabetes drug would be 'kind of magic' if it works

The drug, given as an injection under the skin, combines fragments of a protein found in the beta cells of people with type 1 diabetes and vitamin D to calm the immune response.

www.abc.net.au

 

[rebrascora]

Interesting about the vitamin D link as my vitamin D was low at diagnosis.
This sounds like a sort of desensitising therapy.

 

[Inka]

Sounds interesting for those recently diagnosed. I sometimes wonder if new beta cells would grow in those who’d had Type 1 longer if the immune system was no longer killing them off. That would be nice if they did.