Teplizumab (Teizeild) and โคVX-880: Newโข Hope for Type 1โ Diabetes
This article discusses โrecent advancements in the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes, focusing on two promising therapies:โค Teplizumab (Teizeild) and VX-880.
Teplizumab (Teizeild): Delaying the Inevitable
Teplizumab is a new immunotherapy approved by the EMA for adults and children (8+) in Stage 2 of Type 1โ Diabetes. This stage is characterized by the presence ofโ autoantibodies โคattackingโฃ the pancreas, and beginning blood sugarโค fluctuations, before the onset of noticeable symptoms.
* How it effectively โworks: Teplizumab targetsโ andโค modulates T lymphocytes, the immune cells responsible for destroying insulin-producing beta cells โฃin the โpancreas. this โaims โtoโ slow down the disease โprogression and โฃpreserve natural insulin secretion.
* clinical โขTrial Results: A clinical trial (TN-10)โข showed teplizumab โฃ doubled the median time before progressing from Stage 2 to Stage โข3 (requiring โinsulin therapy) – from 25 to 50โ months.
* Who it’s for: โข โIndividuals already diagnosed with Stage 2 diabetes, who have a โคhigh โฃrisk ofโ rapid disease progression. Approximately 75% of Stage 2 โฃpatients develop clinical diabetes within five years.
* Governance โ& Risks: โค โขTeplizumab is administered via a 14-day โdaily โคintravenousโ infusion, with doses โgradually increased.potentialโข side effects include โคtemporary โdrops โin white blood โcell counts, skin rashes, reduced blood bicarbonate, and, in rare casesโ (2%), cytokine release syndrome requiringโ close hospital monitoring.
* critically importent Note: Teplizumabโ delays the โneed for insulin, but doesn’t eliminate it entirely.
VX-880: Recreating Insulin Production
VX-880 represents โฃa more aspiring approach: restoring insulin production through โขpancreatic islet cell โtransplantation.
* How it works: VX-880 involves infusing pancreatic islet cells โขderived from stem cells into the liver.
* Early Results: โฃ Early reports,โ likeโ that of Amandaโฃ Smith, suggest VX-880 can allow patients to discontinue insulin use.
* โค Limitations & Risks: VX-880 is currently limitedโฃ to severely ill patients andโ requires lifelong immunosuppression to prevent โคrejection of the transplantedโ cells. This immunosuppression carries risks of โขinfection and cancer.
Looking Ahead
While VX-880 is still experimental, and Teplizumab offers a delay rather than a cure,โ both therapies represent a important turning point โin โขType 1 Diabetes treatment. Researchers are cautiously optimistic,emphasizing that while a “cure” isn’t yet within reach,these advancements are paving the way for a future โwhere lasting restoration of insulin production may be possible for the approximately 9.5 million โpeople worldwide living with type 1 Diabetes.
