Promising Breakthrough in Type 1 Diabetes: Well-Known Medication Curbs Advancement

A recent study has found the possibility of baricitinib, a rheumatoid arthritis medication, to effectively curb the onset of type 1 diabetes. This could potentially bring about a paradigm shift in its management by lessening the reliance on insulin therapy.

The discovery was made by the team at St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVI) in Melbourne, who discovered baricitinib's potential application in slowing the progression of type 1 diabetes.

The first of its kind human trial was conducted, led by SVI’s Professor Thomas Kay. The results, documented in the New England Journal of Medicine, proved that baricitinib can safely and efficaciously maintain the body’s insulin production, thereby reducing the acceleration of type 1 diabetes in individuals whose treatment commenced within 100 days from diagnosis.

Professor Kay stated that a significant number of insulin-producing cells are still intact at the initial diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. The purpose of their research was to determine whether further destruction of these cells by the immune system could be halted. Their findings proved that baricitinib was safe and potent in slowing down the progression in newly diagnosed individuals.

This revolutionary research brings hope as it's the first disease-altering treatment for type 1 diabetes which can be administered as a tablet.

Professor Kay expressed his team's excitement about being the first globally to test baricitinib's effectiveness as a potential treatment for type 1 diabetes.

In the past, people with type 1 diabetes had no option other than insulin via injection or infusion pump. The trial demonstrated that early initiation of the medication post-diagnosis helped maintain insulin production. As a result, the patients participating in the trial who were given this drug needed considerably less insulin.

The lifelong autoimmune disease significantly impacts the patient’s life and their family, requiring rigorous glucose monitoring and insulin administration to survive.

Despite the essential role of insulin discovered over a century ago, its management is prone to potential risks if over- or under-administered. Moreover, the condition also leads to long-term complications such as heart attack, stroke, vision impairment, kidney disease, and nerve damage.

Expressing optimism about the future availability of this treatment, Professor Helen Thomas, the preclinical lead on the trial, stated that this would mark a substantial change in the management of type 1 diabetes, showing promise in fundamentally improving the control of this condition.

The statement, “Baricitinib and β-Cell Function in Patients with New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes”, by the aforementioned research group was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on 5 December 2023.

The clinical trial was financially supported by JDRF, a leading body in type 1 diabetes research, advocacy, and community programs. Collaborators in the study included The Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, The Royal Children’s Hospital, and The Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.