Psoriasis drug [Ustekinumab] shows promise for treating childhood diabetes

A clinical trial has found a psoriasis drug to be effective in treating the early stages of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents.

The new study has shown that Ustekinumab, an established immunotherapy that has been used to treat psoriasis since 2009, is effective in preserving the body’s ability to produce insulin in type 1 diabetes. The results bring the goal of managing type 1 diabetes without insulin a step closer. The study was funded by a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research partnership.

The study by Cardiff University, Kings College London, Swansea University and the University of Calgary, unlocked new insights into identifying the specific immune cells (Th17 cells) that cause type 1 diabetes. It also further established a role for immunotherapies in curbing the destruction of insulin-producing cells.

The clinical trial tested the psoriasis treatment in 72 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 with recent-onset type 1 diabetes. The findings from the study have been published in Nature Medicine.

https://www.ukri.org/news/psoriasis-drug-shows-promise-for-treating-childhood-diabetes/