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SHOTS of a protein that subdues the immune system have halted the progression
of juvenile diabetes in 18 people. In theory, the protein could even prevent the
disease from developing in the first place.

Juvenile or type I diabetes is caused when the immune system attacks
insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The protein DiaPep277, created by
biotech company Peptor of Israel, triggers regulatory immune cells to release
cytokines that inhibit this “friendly fire”, preventing more damage.

For those who still have some insulin-producing cells, this could prevent
them having to inject more and more insulin as the disease develops, says Dana
Elias of Peptor. “But if we target people at high risk of developing type I
diabetes, I would expect total prevention.”

“However, you [would] have to catch people at the very early stages of
developing type I diabetes, and this is hard to do,” cautions Srabani Sen of the
charity Diabetes UK. But screening people to identify those at high risk of type
I diabetes is possible, Elias says.

Elias carried out trials on 35 volunteers who had recently been diagnosed as
having diabetes. Natural production of insulin rose slightly in the 18 who were
given three injections of DiaPep277 at the beginning of the study, after one
month and at six months. But in the 17 given a placebo, insulin production
continued to fall.

Trials to investigate the long-term effects are now necessary, says Elias. If
all goes well, DiaPep277 could be on the market in five years.