New vaccine! Should we get our hopes up?

Today on the BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23064897

If this vaccine can prevent the immune system from attacking the insulin producing cells it looks to me like it would only be useful either to prevent diabetes in the first place, or to stop further cells from being destroyed after diagnosis (i.e. in the honeymoon period). If the cells have already been destoyed then I think it is doubtful that type 1 diabetes could be reversed.

Anybody have any opinions on this? It will be interesting to see what Diabetes UK say on it in the next Balance.

I think your interpretation is correct, these initial results look as though the vaccine would only help those newly diagnosed to slow down the destruction of beta cells, or indeed those with antibodies to prevent progression to diabetes.

There is a research trial called TrialNet which is trying to recruit relatives of patients with Type 1 diabetes, who are then tested for the presence of antibodies. These high risk individuals would then be suitable to enter a trial of any new vaccine, we in Sheffield are a UK centre for this, there are several more across the country trying to recruit relatives.

This sounds very interesting.

What occurs to me is how this might be used in conjunction with the Beta cell transplant programme. As I understand it, the cells transplanted ok but were then destroyed much as the original cells had been.

What would also be an interesting line of study would be late onset type 1. What holds back the development of the disease in these subjects?

That's a good point, currently you'd have to take anti-rejection drugs as your immune system would destroy them as they are foreign bodies. It could also be useful for those who have had pancreas transplants for the same reason. It may also help for stem cell islet transplantation as I understand that the cells would be destroyed as you have described. Obviously stem cell research is quite controversial, but that is another topic.

As ever, I think you need to bear in mind this is a small trial at an early stage. A vaccine that can be used commercially is probably at least 5 years away. Not that it isn't a promising line of research its just these things take time. As we all know everyone is different and the effects of modifying the immune system need to be fully understood before we start pumping it into large numbers of people.
Still as an existing Type 1 I'm more interested in something that will make me produce insulin again and stop me having to stare glumly at BG results on a machine whilst thinking 'how did that happen'

This is interesting - and obviously we shouldn't try to read too much into the headline, as a type 1, whose father was type 1, with kids, whose mother's mother was type 1, there is a real risk in their bloodline, and if the kids lived in the UK, I would be very interested in some of the research.

To be honest, my holy grail is getting a continuous glucose monitoring kit - there are plenty around, but the dear old NHS won't let me have one, and I can't afford to fund one myself

After 24 years with Type 1 I've seen plenty of these kinds of articles and have always taken them with a pinch of salt. Not one of them has come true yet, but I always live in hope

I'm quite excited about the Artificial Pancreas research, although like you Simon, I can't get a CGM from the NHS so I doubt that I could get an Artificial Pancreas either.

SimonC said:
This is interesting - and obviously we shouldn't try to read too much into the headline, as a type 1, whose father was type 1, with kids, whose mother's mother was type 1, there is a real risk in their bloodline, and if the kids lived in the UK, I would be very interested in some of the research.

To be honest, my holy grail is getting a continuous glucose monitoring kit - there are plenty around, but the dear old NHS won't let me have one, and I can't afford to fund one myself

youone said:

SimonC said:
This is interesting - and obviously we shouldn't try to read too much into the headline, as a type 1, whose father was type 1, with kids, whose mother's mother was type 1, there is a real risk in their bloodline, and if the kids lived in the UK, I would be very interested in some of the research.

To be honest, my holy grail is getting a continuous glucose monitoring kit - there are plenty around, but the dear old NHS won't let me have one, and I can't afford to fund one myself

I 2nd you the saving on a CGM kit over a meter and strips must be a large saving for the NHS so what's the issue?

Might be good news for youngsters further down the road, but I imagine it'll take a lot of years to research side effects of fiddling with the immune system. At my age, 57, there would be no advantages and too much risk. My cousins are excited about the miracle cure headlines, and since we've got it in the family I can see why, but I'd rather have them all enrol in a DAFNE course and take charge for themselves while the boffins do their thing. Quick fix notions tend to divert people's attention from what's really needed.