A landmark therapy has been approved for use on the NHS which can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes for almost three years, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Teplizumab, also known as Tzield and made by Sanofi, has been recommended today for children aged eight and over and adults who have early-stage pre symptomatic type 1 diabetes.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK have type 1 diabetes and while this therapy will not cure the condition, its ability to delay it by a few years, marks a significant shift in how it can be treated.
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research and Clinical at Diabetes UK, said: “For the first time in 100 years, we are moving beyond insulin, with a medicine that targets the root cause of the condition.
“Teplizumab offers those in the early stages of type 1 diabetes extra years free from the relentless demands of managing the condition with insulin, as well as valuable time to prepare.
“Detecting type 1 diabetes early, before symptoms appear, is key to unlocking these benefits and our focus now is ensuring fair and equitable access for everyone who is eligible.”
The drug which is a one-time course is administered through a drip into a vein once a day for 14 days in row with each infusion taking at least 30 minutes.
Zahra Ali, a Londoner living with type 1 diabetes, said: “Its bittersweet, because I would have loved for this to exist 18 years ago, but it makes me hopeful for the future generations, because it can better prepare people, their families, parents for what’s to come.
“I think the major benefit of the treatment is preparation instead of being diagnosed on the spot, you have time to prepare mentally for what’s ahead.”
Around 1,100 people are expected to be eligible for teplizumab in the first year, falling to 820 patients a year thereafter, according to NICE.
The Early Surveillance for Autoimmune Diabetes (ELSD) study funded by Diabetes UK and Breakthrough T1D is screening children between two and 17 years old.
Separately, the T1DRA study is screening adults aged 18-70.
Dr Robertson added: “We want a future where everyone with early-stage type 1 diabetes can benefit from immunotherapies.
“Through our long-term investment in world-class research, and partnership with the NHS and industry, we are working to make a national type 1 diabetes screening programme a reality.”
Featured image credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya via Unsplash
