Emerging Concepts on Disease-Modifying Therapies in Type 1 Diabetes

This review seeks to characterize emerging concepts related to disease-modifying therapy in type 1 diabetes.

We begin by describing the new understanding that islet autoimmunity, as identified by the presence of islet autoantibodies, inevitably leads to clinical type 1 diabetes. This understanding informs the new staging paradigm for type 1 diabetes, which suggests that type 1 diabetes may be recognized and diagnosed long before symptoms develop. Although it is known that nearly all individuals with established islet autoimmunity will eventually develop symptomatic type 1 diabetes (T1D), individual characteristics such as age and biomarker profile may predict rate of disease progression and response to treatment and may therefore be used to individualize therapy. Key research supports the use of immunotherapy in TID, although a paradigm shift is necessary before immunotherapy may transition from clinical trials to clinical practice. Recent and ongoing research as it relates to these concepts is described throughout.