<p>The drug, called otelixizumab, which appears to halt the rapid decline in the body’s production of insulin, works by switching off the immune system’s self-destruct mechanism that causes type 1 diabetes, say the scientists.<br /><br />This halts damage to the pancreas, allowing it to carry on producing its own insulin, the “Daily Mail” reported.<br /><br />Currently undergoing clinical trials, the drug seems to work best when given as soon as possible after someone has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It is given as a daily jab for six days in a row.<br /><br />Type 1 diabetes, which tends to affect young people, occurs when the immune system starts to attack healthy tissues such as the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.<br /><br />In fact, the new drug works by altering the balance between certain types of cell in the immune system. It contains a very specific antibody – a protein that is designed to home in on certain cells in the body.<br /><br />In this case, the antibody targets a marker found only on the T effector cells. Once the drug locks onto the cells, it stops them destroying insulin-producing cells in pancreas.<br /><br />The findings, published in the ‘Diabetologia’ journal, show that otelixizumab can either halt or dramatically reduce need for insulin injections among newly diagnosed diabetics. <br />Patients given the six-day treatment were able to continue making their own insulin, or needed to inject only small amounts. In contrast, a group given a dummy treatment needed rapidly increasing amounts of injected insulin. It’s too early to say if the new drug can ‘cure’ diabetes.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The drug, called otelixizumab, which appears to halt the rapid decline in the body’s production of insulin, works by switching off the immune system’s self-destruct mechanism that causes type 1 diabetes, say the scientists.<br /><br />This halts damage to the pancreas, allowing it to carry on producing its own insulin, the “Daily Mail” reported.<br /><br />Currently undergoing clinical trials, the drug seems to work best when given as soon as possible after someone has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It is given as a daily jab for six days in a row.<br /><br />Type 1 diabetes, which tends to affect young people, occurs when the immune system starts to attack healthy tissues such as the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.<br /><br />In fact, the new drug works by altering the balance between certain types of cell in the immune system. It contains a very specific antibody – a protein that is designed to home in on certain cells in the body.<br /><br />In this case, the antibody targets a marker found only on the T effector cells. Once the drug locks onto the cells, it stops them destroying insulin-producing cells in pancreas.<br /><br />The findings, published in the ‘Diabetologia’ journal, show that otelixizumab can either halt or dramatically reduce need for insulin injections among newly diagnosed diabetics. <br />Patients given the six-day treatment were able to continue making their own insulin, or needed to inject only small amounts. In contrast, a group given a dummy treatment needed rapidly increasing amounts of injected insulin. It’s too early to say if the new drug can ‘cure’ diabetes.<br /><br /></p>
