Diabetes Vaccines: Possibilities on the Horizon

Scientists are constantly looking for new treatment options so patients with diabetes can manage their condition and live full, healthy, lives. Of course, these developments are important and necessary, and these researchers' efforts are greatly appreciated by us all. But we can't help but wonder: wouldn't it be great if, one day in the future, type 1 diabetes was not only curable, but preventable?

Thanks to the many scientists studying and developing vaccines, that incredible dream of a diabetes vaccine might not be too far away.

The BCG Vaccine

Currently, there are two major vaccinations being developed in order to prevent type 1 diabetes. The first features bacillus Calmette-Guérin, or BGC. This inexpensive drug is used in a number of treatments, including treatment for bladder cancer and the tuberculosis vaccine. BCG has even been found to help prolong life in children born with HIV.


And in 2012, another study found that BCG could hold benefit for patients with type 1 diabetes, too. A research team at the Massachusetts General Hospital Immunobiology Lab conducted a study on mine, where they discovered that a BCG vaccine raised the recipient's tumor necrosis factor (TNF). TNF can kill off bad t-cells (those cells that destroy the insulin-secreting cells in the body) while sparing the healthy, normal t-cells – effectively preventing type 1 diabetes.

The BCG vaccine is currently in phase II of a five-year trial, testing the vaccine's effects on human patients. But lead researcher Dr. Denise Faustman, M.D, Ph.D., is optimistic of the vaccine's ability to help people. As she said in an interview with Diabetes in Control, “We’re talking about a considerable number of people, 10 million people out there, that it would be unbelievable if we can get to that point where we can say that we have a cure.”


The Salmonella Vaccine

The other vaccine being developed to prevent diabetes has been in the news for a few months now. In April of this year, lead study author Mohamed Husseiny Elsayed of the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope in Duarte, CA presented his team's research at ENDO, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Boston.

This study, also conducted on mice, combined “the Salmonella typhimurium bacteria with the immunosuppressive drug Anti-CD3 and cytokines, the small regulatory proteins.” The vaccine had a positive effect on the mice; not only did the vaccine stave off the development of type 1 diabetes, it enabled the mice's glucose tolerance to normalize.

Elsayed calls the vaccine, which was been administered orally during the study, "[A] very safe and effective targeted immunotherapy.” In a press release, he added that “we believe it's a great place to start in the development of a vaccine to stop Type 1 diabetes."


With impressive medical and scientific leaps such as these, who knows? Maybe one day type 1 diabetes will go the way of the dodo.


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...