Breakthrough T1D is encouraged by Eli Lilly and Company’s announcement of two new phase 3 clinical trials for baricitinib in type 1 diabetes (T1D). The BARICADE-DELAY and BARICADE-PRESERVE studies will further investigate whether the drug can delay disease progression in stage 2 and stage 3 T1D.
Baricitinib, a JAK inhibitor already approved for use in other autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia, interferes with signaling pathways critical to both immune cells and beta cells. In a previous Breakthrough T1D-funded study of baricitinib that served as the foundation for these new trials, the drug has been shown to preserve insulin production, improve blood-sugar time-in-range, and decrease external insulin needs in newly diagnosed children and young adults.
“Breakthrough T1D has been a tireless advocate for the use of JAK inhibitors and has seen the promise of baricitinib as a therapy for type 1 diabetes to preserve insulin production and delay disease progression,” said Breakthrough T1D Chief Scientific Officer Sanjoy Dutta, Ph.D. “We’re thrilled that Lilly is advancing clinical research with baricitinib and thank them for moving us one step closer to making it available for people with type 1 diabetes.”
Clinical trials are key to bringing new treatments, devices, and therapies from labs and into clinics. The two baricitinib trials will begin recruiting soon, with details available at clinicaltrials.gov.
