First Type 1 Diabetes Treatment in 100 Years Approved

For the first time in more than 100 years, people with type 1 diabetes have a new treatment option beyond insulin.

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration just approved Tzield, a therapy that works by targeting the immune attack causing type 1 diabetes before symptoms even appear. The drug can delay progression to full clinical diagnosis by an average of two years.

More than 145,000 Australians currently live with type 1 diabetes, and an estimated 25,000 people don't know they have the early stages of the condition. Tzield offers hope for people aged eight and older who are in stage 2 of the disease, when blood glucose changes have begun but insulin therapy isn't yet needed.

The treatment represents almost four decades of research funding and advocacy by Breakthrough T1D, the leading nonprofit organization for type 1 diabetes globally. Their investment supported the therapy from its earliest laboratory stages through clinical trials and approval efforts.

"For generations, type 1 diabetes has only been treated once symptoms appear and insulin therapy becomes essential," said Sydney Yovic, CEO of Breakthrough T1D Australia. "Tzield changes that."

The approval creates an entirely new approach to managing the condition. Instead of waiting for symptoms to develop, doctors can now intervene earlier in the disease process.

Professor John Wentworth, an endocrinologist at St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, called the approval an exciting development. Recent scientific advances now make it possible to detect and treat type 1 diabetes before symptoms present, opening doors that didn't exist just years ago.

The Ripple Effect

The breakthrough highlights why early screening matters so much. Tzield only works if people are detected in stage 2, before symptoms develop. This creates a critical opportunity to intervene earlier and improve long-term health outcomes for thousands of families.

The two extra years without daily insulin therapy and constant glucose monitoring give families valuable breathing room. Children can enjoy more freedom, parents can worry a bit less, and everyone gets more time to prepare for the next phase of care.

Breakthrough T1D is now advocating for Tzield to be listed on Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which would make the treatment more affordable and accessible. Sanofi, the biopharma company behind the drug, says they're committed to working with researchers, advocates, clinicians and policymakers to advance science for those living with type 1 diabetes.

After a century of relying solely on insulin, the diabetes community finally has a new tool in their arsenal.