Review Article

Antigen-Based Immune Therapeutics for Type 1 Diabetes: Magic Bullets or Ordinary Blanks?

Table 1

Clinical trials in T1D using antigen-specific strategies.

Antigen typeAntigenFormulationRouteTrial (Phase)SubjectsOutcome and/or immune biomarkersReference

ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinIntravenousIntravenous insulin (Phase I)Recent-onset T1DHigher stimulated C peptide and lower HbA1c versus s.c. NPH insulin[38]
ProteinInsulin(Ultra)lente/regular insulin (s.c.) + short-acting insulin (i.v.)Subcutaneous + IntravenousJoslin Insulin Prophylaxis Trial (Phase I)At riskSuggestive of efficacy[39]
ProteinInsulinLente/short-acting insulin (s.c.) + short-acting insulin (i.v.)Subcutaneous + IntravenousSchwabing Insulin Prophylaxis Trial (Phase I)At riskSuggestive of efficacy[40]
ProteinInsulinUltralente insulin (s.c.) + short-acting insulin (i.v.)Subcutaneous + IntravenousDPT-1 Parenteral arm (Phase III)At riskNo effect[41]
ProteinInsulinUltralente insulinSubcutaneousEPPSCIT (Phase II)At riskNo effect[42]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinOralORALE (Phase II)Recent-onset T1DNo effect[46]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinOralIMDIAB VII
(Phase II)
Recent-onset T1DNo effect[47]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinOralDPT-1 Oral arm (Phase III)At riskSome efficacy in IAA+ subjects[49]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinOralOral insulin tolerance
(Phase III)
Recent-onset T1D1 mg improved C-peptide responses in older patients;10 mg accelerated C-peptide decline in younger patients[48]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinOralNIH/ADA/JDRF oral insulin (Phase III)At-risk IAA+OngoingNCT 00419562
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinIntranasalINIT-I (Phase I)At-risk IAA+Increase in aAb and decrease in T-cell proliferative responses to insulin[50]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinIntranasalDIPP (Phase III)At riskNo effect[51]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinIntranasalIntranasal insulin in T1D patients
(Phase II)
Recent-onset, non-insulin-dependent T1DNo effect; decrease in IFN-γ T-cell responses to PI; decrease in Ab responses to exogenous insulin[52]
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinIntranasalINIT-II (Phase II)At risk with preserved 1st phase insulin responseOngoingNCT 00336674
ProteinInsulinShort-acting insulinOral or IntranasalPre-POINTIAA- chidren at high genetic risk for T1DPlanned[123]
ProteinGADRecombinant GAD in alum (Diamyd)SubcutaneousSwedish Diamyd (Phase II)Recent-onset T1DSlower decline in fasting and stimulated C-peptide secretion; increase in anti-GAD aAbs and in FowP3 and TGF-β mRNA[32]
ProteinGADRecombinant GAD in alum (Diamyd)SubcutaneousEU Diamyd
(Phase III)
Recent-onset T1DOngoingNCT 00723411
ProteinGADRecombinant GAD in alum (Diamyd)SubcutaneousUS Diamyd (DIAPREVENT) (Phase III)Recent-onset T1DOngoingNCT 00751842
ProteinGADRecombinant GAD in alumSubcutaneousNIDDK/ADA/JDRF GAD-alum
(Phase II)
Recent-onset T1DOngoingNCT 00529399
ProteinGADRecombinant GAD in alum (Diamyd)SubcutaneousDIAPREV-IT
(Phase II)
At risk, GAD aAb++ ≥1 other aAbOngoingNCT 01122446
PeptideInsulinInsulin B chain in incomplete Freund’s adjuvantIntramuscularIBC-VS01 (Phase I)Recent-onset IAA+ T1DIncreased TGF-β production[66]
PeptideProinsulinPIC19- A3IntradermalPI peptide immunotherapy (Phase I)Long-standing T1DTransient PI-specific IL-10 secretion in 3/18 patients at 30  g[67]
Modified peptideInsulinNBI-6024 ( APL)SubcutaneousNBI-6024-0003 (Phase I)Recent-onset T1DShift from Th1 to Th2 responses[76]
Modified peptideInsulinNBI-6024 ( APL)SubcutaneousNeurocrine NBI-6024
(Phase II)
Recent-onset T1DNo effect[77]
Modified proteinInsulinInsulin-coupled ECDI-fixed autologous leukocytes?ITN insulin-coupled leukocytesAt riskPlanned[86]
DNA plasmidProinsulinBHT-3021 (PI plasmid)IntramuscularBayhill BHT-3021 (Phase I)Recent-onset T1DOngoingNCT 00453375
Ag-specific cell therapyNoneAutologous monocyte-derived DCs treated with CD40/CD80/CD86 antisense oligonucleotidesIntradermalPittsburgh DC vaccine (Phase I)Long-standing T1DOngoingNCT 00445913