Minimizing Compliance Problems with Type 1 Diabetes Treatment

SLU ID 20-026 | Sublingual Immunotherapy for Improved Outcomes for Type 1 Diabetes

Background

Type 1 diabetes (T1D; also known as “autoimmune diabetes,” and formerly known as “insulin-dependent diabetes" or “juvenile-onset diabetes”) is a chronic disease that results from an autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells with consequent loss of insulin production, which manifests clinically as hyperglycemia, and accounts for 5-10% of all cases of diabetes. The age of symptomatic onset is usually during childhood or adolescence; however, symptoms can develop much later in life. Although the etiology of T1D is not completely understood, the pathogenesis is thought to involve T cell-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells. There is no known cure for T1D, and patients must rely on daily insulin therapy to compensate for impaired β-cell function. Insulin treatments typically involve either multiple daily insulin injection therapy or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Without insulin, these patients develop serious complications such as ketoacidosis, retinopathy, nephropathy, vasculopathy, and neuropathy. Because subcutaneous delivery of insulin requires strict, self-regimentation, compliance is often a serious problem. Moreover, the act of parenteral insulin administration can be traumatic for juveniles. Treatment of T1D with exogenous insulin can result in exogenous insulin antibody syndrome, also known as Hirata’s disease, which leads to hypoglycemia. Presently, there are no known effective oral or sublingual insulin therapies. Compliance concerns coupled with serious morbidity and an increasing incidence of T1D worldwide, underscore the need to develop effective therapies for T1D prevention and/or treatment.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University (SLU) have developed methods to administer insulin related peptides in a manner that will delay the onset and/or decrease the incidence of Type 1 (autoimmune) diabetes. The effects of these methods include a decrease in autoantibody titers, maintencance of serum c-petide levels, and the delay or prevention of hyperglycemia.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Minimize the time that a person must cope with Type 1 diabetes symptoms.

• Minimize the chance of developing hyperglycemia.

• Minimize the chance of an antigenic response.

• Minimize the incidence of Type 1 diabetes-related complications.

Applications

Potential applications of this technology include the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking a partner to further develop and commercialize this technology.