A clinical trial for a potential vaccine for Type 1 Diabetes, which is actually one used in tuberculosis and cancer treatments, is currently moving on to the second phase and is expected to produce positive results in about five years.
Participating researchers made the announcement during the Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association Sunday. Dr. Denise Faustman, Director of Immunobiology from the Massachusetts General Hospital is leading the group of scientists and doctors.
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine was proven to have helped cure the chronic disease in mice subjects during the primary study, as well as 103 people. BCG was able to reduce the number of white blood cells, which spread the medical condition. The drug also fought off cells that produced insulin to the blood.
In the next stage, 150 diabetic patients who are 18 to 60-years-old will be gathered to test the amount of dosage they would need for the vaccine.
"Type 1 diabetics are a pretty skeptical audience," Faustman tells Time, saying previous studies have been disappointing.
The study will last for five years and researchers are confident that they will be able to succeed in controlling and lowering blood sugar, which will be beneficial to diabetics worldwide.
The American Diabetes Association describes the disease as the body's inability to produce insulin, which is "a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life."
This type of diabetes is commonly diagnosed in children and teenagers.
For now, patients are reminded to exercise regularly, check their blood glucose levels closely, master proper injection of insulin and eat healthy. The organization listed beans, citrus fruits, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, fish high in Omega-3, whole grains, nuts, and fat-free milk as food that needs to be included in a diabetic's diet.
