MIRACLE DRUG ZAPS TYPE 1 DIABETES!
AGAME-CHANGING new drug may halt type 1 diabetes (T1D) and delay its progression to harmful later stages for two years — or more! Teplizumab was recently approved by the FDA for patients aged eight and above who are in the early phases of the autoimmune condition, which eventually leaves the body unable to control blood sugar levels.
Marketed as Tzield, the drug is a modified antibody that binds to immune cells called T lymphocytes — or T cells — which attack insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas in those with T1D.
Given in a single 14-day course of infusions, teplizumab holds off the disease by rebooting the immune system and preserving insulin-making cells.
Experts say the innovation marks the first time a drug targets the root cause of the condition.
About 1.9 million people have T1D in the U.S., and nearly 64,000 folks learn they have the disease each year. Currently, patients must take insulin shots or wear an insulin pump to survive and check blood sugar levels multiple times a day.
Pop singer Nick Jonas, 30, was diagnosed at age 13 after exhibiting classic symptoms of weight loss, excessive thirst and frequent urination. Chronic high blood sugar levels can cause blindness, kidney failure, vascular disease, and stroke and heart disease — as well as a buildup of acids called ketones, which may result in coma or death.
During stage 2 of T1D, doctors can identify the disease before symptoms appear by measuring the antibodies that attack insulin-producing cells. Aaron Kowalski, CEO of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, says, “About 85 percent of type 1 diagnoses are in families with no known history.
“Our goal is general population screening looking for markers of the disease.” In trials, teplizumab delayed late-stage onset by an average of 24 months — but one participant was still in the clear 11 years after treatment!
With more research and modifications, doctors hope to see even better results. “Don’t underestimate the importance of this drug for patients,” says
Yale University Professor Kevan Herold.
“Time without the disease is lifechanging.”