Clinical trials in youth-onset type 2 diabetes: needs, barriers, and options

Youth-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasingly recognized as a disorder with substantial risk for long-term metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal morbidity and mortality, as well as individual and societal burden. Recent studies suggest that the disorder differs from adult-onset T2D in a variety of ways and that there is an urgent need for an expanded set of treatment options. However, demographic, economic, and social challenges limit the number of eligible candidates for clinical trials in youth-onset T2D, and a growing number trials mandated by regulatory agencies have created a circumstance in which too many trials are chasing too few eligible participants. A solution to this situation will require novel approaches to clinical trial design incorporating collaboration among clinical investigators, pharmaceutical sponsors, and regulatory agencies. If successful, this approach could also serve as a model for clinical trials in other rare and understudied pediatric disorders.