New Drug Delays Type 1 Diabetes Onset on NHS

The NHS in England and Wales is now providing Teplizumab, an immunotherapy drug that can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes. This treatment offers individuals up to three years before they develop symptoms and require lifelong insulin.

This development is described as "genuinely exciting" by the NHS medicines body, with hundreds of children and young people anticipated to benefit annually. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells, differing from type 2 diabetes. Patients require constant blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration.

Teplizumab is administered as an infusion before symptoms appear, requiring a blood test to confirm immune system activity against the pancreas. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends the drug, estimating around 1,100 eligible individuals in the first year. The cost of Teplizumab is approximately £150,000 per course, with a negotiated discount for the NHS.

While NICE guidance applies to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate decision-making bodies. The Scottish Medicines Consortium is expected to issue advice on Teplizumab in early 2027. Diabetes charities are advocating for routine testing for the disease on the NHS.