Could an arthritis drug slow diabetes development in children?

The world’s largest charitable supporter of type 1 diabetes research, JDRF, has announced a new clinical trial to slow the development of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) in children.

The trial will test a new application of an existing drug currently approved for use in children with juvenile arthritis, which blocks the action of a specific pro-inflammatory molecule called IL-6. This is a world first for paediatric use of this drug in type 1 diabetes — other ongoing international trials are studying adults.

Set to take place next year, the trial will recruit children aged between six and 17 years of age who are within 100 days of diagnosis with T1D. Participants will be randomly allocated to a placebo or to the juvenile arthritis drug, which is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

“If this existing drug can be proven to slow the development of type 1 diabetes in children, it will be life changing, giving them a huge head start in managing this disease,” said JDRF CEO Mike Wilson.

The trial will be launched with $5 million in funding, jointly supplied by the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN, funded by the National Institutes of Health) and the Australian Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network (T1DCRN). The T1DCRN is supported by the Australian Government through the Special Research Initiative for Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes, a $35 million grant funded through the Australian Research Council.

To join JDRF’s community of people who have put their hand up to get involved with clinical research into T1D, please sign up at https://www.jdrf.org.au/research/team-research.