Preserving insulin in diabetes

Researchers are seeking adults recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes for a clinical trial of an investigational drug that may protect insulin-producing cells from destruction.  

Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, gradually leading to a loss in a patient’s ability to make insulin. This study will involve an investigational treatment that might help preserve that capability. The test drug, CNP-103, was developed by COUR Pharmaceuticals, an Illinois-based company.   

“The drug targets T cells, immune cells, that are mistakenly attacking the pancreas. By neutralizing these T cells, the drug aims to protect the insulin-producing cells and potentially extend their function for years beyond what would normally happen,” said Dr. Irl Hirsch, professor (Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition) and lead investigator at UW Medicine's South Lake Union trial site, one of 31 U.S. study locations.