A new study funded by Breakthrough T1D and published in the journal Diabetes Therapy shows that people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and caregivers are largely willing to try next-generation therapies, drawn by the promise of reduced insulin reliance, greater normalcy, and freedom from constant disease management.
The findings highlight the importance of ensuring patient and caregiver perspectives guide regulatory decisions around the balance of a therapy’s risks and benefits.
The promise of next-gen therapies
Advances in T1D management, such as automated insulin delivery (AID) systems, mark major progress over the past decade. Despite these gains, insulin therapy remains physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding, and substantial unmet needs persist.
Next-generation therapies aim to move beyond insulin replacement through two approaches:
- Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs): Preserve insulin production by slowing or halting autoimmune destruction of beta cells.
- Cell Therapies: Restore insulin production by delivering new functional cells, with the potential for partial or complete insulin independence.
For the study, researchers interviewed people with T1D and caregivers to better understand their perspectives on the risks and benefits of these therapies.
What participants said
Participants expressed willingness to try new therapies, with 92% of adults, 70% of caregivers, and 100% of adolescents saying they would try a DMT at the time of T1D diagnosis. Every participant said they would try cell therapies.
Participants also shared their thoughts on top benefits of both DMTs and cell therapies.
- Top benefits: DMTs: Reduced insulin reliance and an extended period when a
person with T1D produces their own insulin; cell therapies: insulin independence,
more normalcy, and freedom from constant demands on diabetes.
Why this matters
To approve a product, regulators must judge whether the therapy’s benefits outweigh its
risks. This study shows that , people living with T1D and their caregivers have strong view
about which benefits matter and how much they matter. Because DMTs and cell therapies
bring significant benefits compared to insulin therapy, regulators should incorporate these
patient perspectives into regulatory decision-making.
About the study
The Breakthrough T1D Patient Preference Study is being conducted in two phases. In the first phase, researchers interviewed 26 individuals—12 adults, 4 adolescents, and 10 caregivers—about their views on DMTs and cell therapies. These insights are now shaping a large-scale survey that will measure how the T1D community prioritizes different risks and benefits. Results from that survey are expected later this year.
