Early-stage type 1 diabetes: How immunotherapy may delay insulin use

Table of contents

• Understanding early-stage type 1 diabetes
• What is immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes?
• Benefits of immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes
• Who might benefit from this therapy?
• Where can I get immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes?

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Type 1 diabetes may seem to come out of nowhere – but, in reality, it often starts long before any symptoms occur. This early phase, sometimes called early-stage type 1 diabetes, is when the immune system begins attacking the cells that make insulin, even though blood sugar levels are still normal.

Fortunately, there’s growing research into immune-based therapies that could help to delay the onset of clinical disease. These treatments don’t replace insulin but aim to protect the body’s ability to make it naturally. For people in the early stages of type 1 diabetes, this could mean more time without daily injections and a chance to delay insulin use.

Understanding early-stage type 1 diabetes

It might be surprising to learn that type 1 diabetes doesn’t begin the moment someone needs insulin. One of the key phases in this process is called stage 2 type 1 diabetes – a point where the immune system is already attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, known as beta cells, but blood sugar levels remain normal for much of the time.

Beta cells play a crucial role in keeping blood sugar balanced by producing insulin. When they’re damaged, the body struggles to regulate glucose properly. In preclinical diabetes, this damage is happening silently, without any obvious symptoms. That’s why people in this phase are considered at-risk diabetes patients, even if they feel completely fine.

Catching type 1 diabetes early opens the door to new possibilities. With the right tools, like immunotherapy, it may be possible to slow the disease down and give the body more time before insulin is needed. That’s why early screening and intervention are becoming such an important part of diabetes care.

What is immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes?

Insulin is often the first treatment that comes to mind for type 1 diabetes. However, immune-based therapies offer a promising way to slow the progression of the disease before insulin is even needed.

This type of treatment doesn’t replace insulin but instead works with your immune system. In early-stage type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Immunotherapy helps calm that attack, giving those cells a better chance to survive and keep doing their job.

The main goal is to delay the need for insulin and help the body maintain its own insulin production for as long as possible. This approach can be especially beneficial for children, potentially postponing the start of insulin injections.

Benefits of immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes

One of the most valuable benefits of immunotherapy is time. By calming the immune system and protecting the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, this treatment can delay the need for insulin, sometimes by several years. That means fewer injections and less disruption to your daily life.

It’s also about preserving what’s already working. In stage 2 type 1 diabetes, the body is still producing insulin, just not as efficiently. Immunotherapy helps keep those remaining beta cells functioning for longer, which can lead to better blood sugar control and potentially fewer complications over time.

Reducing the number of years spent with elevated blood sugar may also lower the risk of long-term damage to organs such as the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Additionally, for families, gaining extra time before insulin therapy begins can mean more years without the daily demands of injections and glucose monitoring, offering a gentler start to life with diabetes.

For people identified as at-risk diabetes patients, this kind of early intervention could be a game-changer. It’s not a cure, but it’s a way to slow the disease’s progression – which can make a meaningful difference to your quality of life.

Who might benefit from this therapy?

Immunotherapy is designed for people who are in the early stages of type 1 diabetes, before symptoms fully develop and before insulin is needed. 

That includes: 

• people with a family history of type 1 diabetes 

• children or adults who test positive for certain autoantibodies linked to diabetes 

• those diagnosed with stage 2 type 1 diabetes, where the immune system is active but blood sugar levels are still normal 

These individuals are considered at-risk diabetes patients, and they may not even know their body is changing. That’s why screening programs are so important – they help identify preclinical diabetes early, when therapies like this can have the most impact. 

If you or a loved one falls into one of these groups, it’s worth having a conversation with a healthcare provider. Early intervention could mean more time without insulin and more control over the future. 

Where can I get immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes?

London Medical is offering a new immunotherapy treatment, available privately in the UK, which may help delay progression in eligible individuals.  

The service is designed for patients aged 8 and over who may be in stage 2 type 1 diabetes or identified as at-risk through screening. Each prospective patient undergoes blood tests to assess eligibility, followed by a consultation to explore their options. If eligible, treatment involves a 14-day course of daily IV infusions, delivered at Cromwell Hospital in Kensington. 

We understand how important comfort and continuity are during treatment. That’s why our dedicated team is available throughout the process to provide support, coordination, and personalised care. 

This therapy is led by a team of specialists from London Medical, including: 

• Dr Ralph Abraham – Founder of London Medical 

• Professor Pratik Choudhary – Researcher in diabetes technology and immunotherapy  

• Dr Sufyan Hussain – Expert in advanced and innovative treatments for diabetes  

• Dr Rakesh Amin – Consultant paediatric endocrinologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital 

These clinicians are closely involved in every step of the patient journey – from screening and consultation to treatment delivery – ensuring expert care throughout. 

If you or your child has been diagnosed with early-stage type 1 diabetes, we invite you to contact us to learn more about this innovative treatment and whether it may be right for you.