A groundbreaking drug that can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes by up to three years has been approved for use in England and Wales, marking a significant advance in the treatment of the autoimmune disease.
What is the drug and how does it work?
The drug, teplizumab, is an immunotherapy that targets the immune system's attack on insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It is administered as a 14-day course of daily infusions and is intended for people aged eight and older who are at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which issued the approval, teplizumab can delay the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes by an average of two to three years. This delay allows patients to avoid or postpone the need for daily insulin injections and the associated burden of blood glucose monitoring.
Impact on patients and healthcare system
The approval is expected to benefit around 1,000 people per year in England and Wales who have a family history of type 1 diabetes and are identified as high-risk through screening. NICE estimates that the drug could save the NHS approximately £2,000 per patient per year in insulin and monitoring costs.
Dr. Lucy Chambers, head of research at Diabetes UK, welcomed the decision, stating: "This is a historic moment for people at risk of type 1 diabetes. For the first time, we have a treatment that can alter the course of the disease, not just manage symptoms."
How will the drug be administered?
Teplizumab will be available through specialist NHS centres and will require patients to undergo screening to identify those with early-stage type 1 diabetes. The drug is not a cure, but it offers a significant window of time without insulin therapy, improving quality of life and reducing the risk of complications.
The approval follows clinical trials showing that teplizumab reduced the risk of developing type 1 diabetes by 50% over a five-year period compared to placebo. The drug was first approved in the United States in 2022 and has now been recommended for use in the UK.
Future implications
Experts hope that this approval will pave the way for further immunotherapies for type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune conditions. The NHS is expected to begin offering teplizumab within the next few months, with a rollout plan to be announced shortly.
