Novel diabetes drug could be effective

According to an advance edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, a new type of medicine for type 1 diabetes could prove effective. The new treatment, administered by injectio, is called GAD-alum.
GAD-alum specifically targets an individual protein called GAD. Amongst people with type 1 diabetes, GAD is part of the way in which the immune system attacks the pancreas . By curbing GAD, researcher believe the insulin -producing cells in the pancreas could be saved.
A study conducted in Sweden at Linkoping University tested GAD-alum treatment and found that whilst it did not cure type 1 diabetes, the rate of decline in pancreatic cells slowed somewhat. Although GAD-alum testing appears safe, the researchers noted that further research was needed. The study was done using grants from Diamyd Medical .