Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Diabetes

Immunotherapy for T1DM—still not there yet

Alefacept, a fusion protein approved for psoriasis, has been trialled in patients with new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, the withdrawal of the drug from the US market and the unmet primary end point do not raise hope for this drug, even though some secondary end points were met and the study highlighted interesting immunological efficacy.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Stiller, C. R. et al. Effects of cyclosporine immunosuppression in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus of recent onset. Science 223, 1362–1367 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Assan, R. et al. Metabolic and immunological effects of cyclosporin in recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. Lancet 1, 67–71 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chatenoud, L., Warncke, K. & Ziegler, A. G. Clinical immunologic interventions for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Cold Spring Harb. Perspect. Med. 2, 1–18 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Rigby, M. R. et al. Targeting of memory T cells with alefacept in new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1DAL study): 12 month results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(13)70111-6.

  5. Gordon, K. B. & Langley, R. G. Remittive effects of intramuscular alefacept in psoriasis. J. Drugs Dermatol. 2, 624–628 (2003).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Krueger, G. G. Selective targeting of T cell subsets: focus on alefacept—a remittive therapy for psoriasis. Expert Opin. Biol. Ther. 2, 431–441 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Greenbaum, C. J. et al. Fall in C-peptide during first 2 years from diagnosis: evidence of at least two distinct phases from composite type 1 diabetes TrialNet data. Diabetes 61, 2066–2073 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Palmer, J. P. et al. C-peptide is the appropriate outcome measure for type 1 diabetes clinical trials to preserve β-cell function: report of an ADA workshop, 21–22 October 2001. Diabetes 53, 250–264 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Herold, K. C. et al. Teplizumab (anti-CD3 mAb) treatment preserves C-peptide responses in patients with new-onset type 1 diabetes in a randomized controlled trial: metabolic and immunologic features at baseline identify a subgroup of responders. Diabetes http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/db13-0345.

  10. Steele, C. et al. Insulin secretion in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 53, 426–433 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raffaella Buzzetti.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Buzzetti, R. Immunotherapy for T1DM—still not there yet. Nat Rev Endocrinol 9, 697–698 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2013.221

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2013.221

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Translational Research

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology, drug discovery and pharma.

Get what matters in translational research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Translational Research