A translational research initiative undertaken by a team of scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology has resulted in promising findings for type 1 diabetes. The research finds promising combination therapeutic candidate for adults in the early stages of type 1 diabetes.
To establish the efficacy, the combination therapy was recently tested in a controlled environment. The findings is published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. It points a potential method to treat autoimmune diseases without subjecting the body to infectious disease.
For clinical purposes, the combination therapeutic candidate combines anti-IL-21 antibody with liraglutide. The two-pronged approach is based on research findings of an expert’s lab at Novo Nordisk.
“In fact, this is the first large clinical trial for combination therapy, and it is indicative to be valuable for patients.” Meanwhile, the groundwork for selecting combination therapy was done through preclinical work at the research institution.
Clinically, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs when the T cells of the body mistakenly target insulin-generating beta cells in the pancreas. As a result of this, beta cells are destroyed, and the body loses its ability to keep a check on insulin levels. This can eventually lead to severe organ damage and sometimes even death.
Hitherto, for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, therapies that are targeted toward system-wide response of T cells run the risk of impacting the ability of the immune system.
Importantly, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology is focused on unfolding the molecular triggers of type 1 diabetes. The work points two ways to modulate parts of the immune system without affecting the overall function of the immune system.