Tzeild: Preventing Type 1 Diabetes

Jul 26, 2024

3 min read

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition where the pancreas makes very little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone the body uses to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells and produce energy. It can be brought on by various factors such as genetics and some viruses. Although type 1 diabetes usually appears during childhood or adolescence, it can develop in adults. There are three stages of Type 1 diabetes.

Stage 1 - at least two diabetes-related autoantibodies are positive and the person has normal blood sugar levels.
Stage 2 - two or more diabetes-related autoantibodies are positive. Individuals typically do not have symptoms but do have abnormal blood sugar levels as the beta cell function declines.
Stage 3 - individuals develop hyperglycemia and require treatment with insulin, regular glucose monitoring, and attention to nutrition and activity levels.

Once someone has been found to have Stage 1 Type 1 diabetes, the disease is certain to progress to Stage 3 over the lifetime.

Symptoms and Complications of Type 1 Diabetes

There are various symptoms of type 1 diabetes. Some symptoms may appear very suddenly; these include:

Feeling more thirsty than usual
Feeling very hungry
Losing weight without trying
Feeling irritable or having other mood changes
Feeling tired and weak
Having blurry vision

Although type 1 diabetes can be controlled using a glucose monitor and other innovations, many complications can occur. Over time, type 1 diabetes complications can affect major organs in the body. These organs include the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. Diabetes complications can lead to disabilities and even threaten life. Some complications include heart and blood vessel disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney damage (nephropathy), skin and mouth conditions, and more.

Tzeild

Since 1922, when insulin was discovered, many have tried to create cures or medication to treat type 1 diabetes but were to no avail. Finally, a preventative vaccine has emerged, created by Kevan Herold, MD, a principal investigator of the drug and an immunologist at Yale Medicine in New Haven. The medication formally known as teplizumab delays the onset of stage 3 of the condition by an average of 2 years and sometimes by more than a decade. The drug is approved for adults and children ages 8 and older with Stage 2 Type 1 diabetes. Delaying the beginning of Stage 3 delays the need for daily insulin injections, as well as the potential disease hurdle of Type 1 diabetes for months or even years.

The Science Behind the Study

There are certain requirements to be eligible for Tzield. Individuals must have at least two positive pancreatic beta cell autoantibodies and dysglycemia which is measured by fasting glucose or an oral glucose tolerance test. It is administered through an intravenous infusion once daily for 14 days. The drug attaches to certain immune cells which delays the progression of stage 3 diabetes. In a randomized clinical trial, 44 people with stage 2 type 1 diabetes received Tzield, while 32 received a placebo. Those who received Tzield did not reach stage 3 for an average of four years, while those receiving the placebo were diagnosed with stage 3 after an average of 2 years. While there are side effects for Tzield including rashes, headaches, leukopenia, and more, it is helping millions of people curb the possibility of a difficult life due to stage 3 type 1 diabetes.

Conclusion

Delaying stage 3 diabetes can truly allow patients to live fuller lives and spend time with their loved ones for much longer without suffering. It can give families more time to prepare for several diabetes medication tasks that are required. It can reduce the chances of various other complications such as kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases, neuropathy, and blindness. This medication is continuing to be tested and administered to several people around the world to curb the hurdles of stage 3 type 1 diabetes.