New Therapy for Juvenile Diabetes

A promising new treatment for juvenile, or type 1, diabetes is a monoclonal antibody called anti-CD3.

Anti-CD3 targets an antigen expressed on T lymphocytes, the cells of the immune system that are responsible for the destruction of islet cells of the pancreas and that could slow the progression of the type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents. A phase I clinical study conducted at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center in New York (NY, USA) by Dr. Kevan Herold showed that patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes appeared to experience improved metabolic control and reduced reliance on insulin for up to two years following a single course of treatment with a specific type of the anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. A phase II clinical trial is scheduled to begin soon that will evaluate a multi-course study of the drug in patients with new-onset diabetes.

MacroGenics, Inc., (Rockville, MD, USA) has announced that the company will acquire the intellectual property, materials, and know-how related to the anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody from Tolerance Therapeutics, Inc. (also in Rockville, MD).

"This is an exciting opportunity for patients and for MacroGenics, as it represents a critical step toward the development and commercialization of an important molecule that has been shown to slow the progression of juvenile diabetes in early clinical studies,” said Dr. Scott Koenig, president and CEO of MacroGenics. Dr. Koenig also observed that the company will define the dose and regimen of the drug in clinical trials to create a final candidate with the best product profile.




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