Current and past prevention and intervention trials in type 1 diabetes.

Halting the autoimmune attack on beta cells by redirecting or dampening the immune system remains one of the foremost therapeutic goals in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Progress in the field has been slow due to important ethical considerations. Namely, side effects from excessive immunosuppression cannot be tolerated because of the reasonable life expectancy with insulin substitution therapy. Nevertheless, we have now learned a significant amount from past prevention and intervention trials, which allows us to plan and design better interventions and preventions for the future. This article will summarize the existing experience and explain the prioritization of future approaches based on JDRF's analysis including novel combination therapies for T1D.