Immunotherapy of the Recent-onset Type 1 Diabetes in Adolescents With Repeated Courses of Rituximab

Summary

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by destruction of pancreatic islet beta-cells that produce insulin - the hormone required for glucose uptake by body tissues and organs. Since loss of beta-cells leads to insulin deficiency, blood glucose increases and the symptoms of T1D (thirst, hunger, excessive urination) appear. Inability of patient's tissues and organs to utilize glucose results in rapid weight loss and life-threatening acute T1D complications - ketosis and coma. To ensure glucose consumption by tissues and organs and to prevent acute complications, all patients with T1D need lifelong therapy with insulin. Insulin therapy is also necessary to prevent long-term T1D complications (eye, renal, nerve, and heart problems). By the time T1D is diagnosed, 80-90% of beta-cells have already been destroyed. However, 10-20% viable insulin-producing beta-cells remain in the pancreas over several months and even years after T1D diagnosis. The higher the percentage of the remaining beta-cells, the smaller the risk of long-term complications. Destruction of beta-cells in T1D has an autoimmune origin. It means that the patient's immune system, which is normally targeted at microbes, viruses, and other non-self substances, mistakenly destroys the beta-cells. The key role in this autoimmune reaction is played by specific cells of the immune system: T- and B-lymphocytes. T-lymphocytes directly damage the beta-cells, while B-lymphocytes support T-lymphocytes activity via antigen presentation mechanisms. Rituximab is a drug that specifically eliminates B-lymphocytes from the blood based on the CD20 surface molecule expressed on their surface, as a target. Notably, a subset of currently active T cells, including those potentially associated with pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, also express CD20 marker on their surface. This makes them a potentially another critically important target of rituximab. In 2009 - 2014, a multicenter study in the U. S. and Canada showed that a single three-week course of rituximab infusions slightly but significantly had improved survival of residual beta-cells and their insulin-producing capacity in patients with recent-onset T1D. However, this beneficial action of rituximab lasted for only one year. We hypothesized that the repeated courses of rituximab performed over a period of 5 months could produce more profound and durable elimination of pathogenic B- and T- cells, and as a consequence prolonged survival of residual beta-cells and insulin secretion without serious adverse events. Testing this hypothesis is the goal of our study

Timeline

Start

2024-04-19

Primary completion

2027-12-31

Completion

2028-03-31

Publications

• Background Pescovitz MD, Greenbaum CJ, Bundy B, Becker DJ, Gitelman SE, Goland R, Gottlieb PA, Marks JB, Moran A, Raskin P, Rodriguez H, Schatz DA, Wherrett DK, Wilson DM, Krischer JP, Skyler JS; Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Anti-CD20 Study Group. B-lymphocyte depletion with rituximab and beta-cell function: two-year results. Diabetes Care. 2014 Feb;37(2):453-9. doi: 10.2337/dc13-0626. Epub 2013 Sep 11.
• Background Greenbaum CJ, Mandrup-Poulsen T, McGee PF, Battelino T, Haastert B, Ludvigsson J, Pozzilli P, Lachin JM, Kolb H; Type 1 Diabetes Trial Net Research Group; European C-Peptide Trial Study Group. Mixed-meal tolerance test versus glucagon stimulation test for the assessment of beta-cell function in therapeutic trials in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2008 Oct;31(10):1966-71. doi: 10.2337/dc07-2451. Epub 2008 Jul 15.

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Indications