Dhaka Bureau: Good news for those who have been suffering from diabetes for a long time. Medicines for type-1 diabetes sufferers have arrived. The drug has already been approved in the US.
The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new drug for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. They say that patients who are on the verge of being diagnosed with type-1 diabetes, if they are given this drug, they will develop the disease later than usual.
The name of this newly approved diabetes drug is ‘Taplizumab’. Experts say teplizumab has ushered in a ‘new era’ in treatment. When the drug is applied to the body of the concerned patient, it gradually normalizes the behavior of the immune system of the body.
Type-1 diabetes primarily affects the body’s immune system and destroys insulin-producing cells. On the other hand, people with type-2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes worldwide. While type 2 diabetes can be prevented through some important lifestyle changes including weight loss, exercise, type 1 becomes a genetic disease. So far no way to prevent it has been discovered. Delayed diagnosis of type 1 diabetes can have serious effects on the body. It can damage the body’s performance. It can even lead to death.
About 8.7 million people worldwide are affected by type-1 diabetes. People with type-1 diabetes have a normal immune system, which we call the immune system. This system usually fights bacteria and viruses.
In 2019, some people who might have developed type-1 diabetes on the experimental drug teplizumab were found to develop the disease at least two years later than when they were at risk of developing the disease.
Experts say this delay is very significant. Especially, for the younger ones. Because, during that extra time, they don’t have to take insulin or check their blood sugar levels regularly. Researchers say people who take these drugs have relatively healthy blood sugar levels for longer. Not only that, they can stay free for longer from various complications of high blood sugar, such as kidney damage or eye disease.
