Teplizumab for the delay of clinical type-1 diabetes in at-risk patients aged 8 years and over

Teplizumab is in clinical development for the delay of clinical type-1 diabetes (T1D) in individuals at risk of developing the disease. T1D is a condition which usually starts early in life where the immune system (blood cells which usually defend the body from infection) attacks an organ called the pancreas. The pancreas usually makes a substance called insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in the blood. In T1D, the pancreas does not produce enough (or sometimes any) insulin. This means that blood sugar levels can become elevated which can damage many organs in the body. This type of diabetes often runs in families meaning those with relatives who have the disease may be at risk of developing it themselves. However, there is no approved disease-modifying treatment that targets the underlying cause of T1D. Some interventions have delayed the loss of insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes, but interventions that might affect clinical progression before diagnosis are needed.