New drug for diabetes may stop need for insulin jabs

Now,an international team of researchers says the new treatment,codenamed DiaPep277,will block the process which causes the body’s immune system to attack the pancreas in people who have Type 1 diabetes; and it will hit the markets within three years.

The scientists hope that in patients newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes,the treatment will prevent the disease from developing because it will stop the destruction of vital cells of the pancreas which make insulin.

The drug will also allow the a patient’s body to carry on making its own insulin,eventually allowing their pancreas to recover and make enough to support the body completely,the Sunday Express reported.

It will also reduce the risk of side effects linked with synthetic insulin which can mirror diabetes complications such as heart disease,stroke and kidney disease,say the scientists.

Trials are currently taking place at 140 centres in the UK,as well as in Europe,North America,South Africa and Israel.

Dr Shlomo Dagan,of Andromeda Biotech in Israel,who is leading the research trails,was quoted as saying,““There is evidence to suggest that using the drug over a period of time,maybe a couple of years,will allow the pancreas to recover enough to make more insulin. In that situation the patient could stop injecting insulin.”

Dr Eleanor Kennedy,spokeswoman for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation,said: “The research on this shows it may well be possible that patients could cope without the need for any insulin injections.”