Century-old TB vaccine may reduce insulin needs in Type 1 diabetes — Researchers

A vaccine originally developed to prevent tuberculosis more than a century ago may help people with Type 1 diabetes use less insulin, according to early clinical trial results.

Researchers found that repeated doses of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine improved blood sugar control and reduced insulin requirements in people with Type 1 diabetes and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), a slower-progressing form of the disease.

The BCG vaccine, first introduced more than 100 years ago to prevent tuberculosis, is also used as an immunotherapy for bladder cancer because of its ability to stimulate the immune system.

In one five-year trial, adults with childhood-onset Type 1 diabetes who received six doses of the vaccine had better long-term blood sugar control, spent more time within a healthy glucose range, and needed less insulin than those given a placebo.

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A second trial found that the vaccine helped preserve the body’s ability to produce insulin in people with LADA, slowing disease progression and reducing their insulin needs.

Lead researcher Dr. Denise Faustman of Massachusetts General Hospital said the results exceeded expectations and suggested the vaccine could improve diabetes management rather than cure the disease.

Researchers believe the vaccine works by calming the immune attack that destroys insulin-producing cells and improving the body’s handling of blood sugar.

Lead researcher Dr Denise Faustman of Massachusetts General Hospital said the vaccine is not a cure but could become a new way to improve diabetes management.

Dr Gillian Goddard, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health who was not involved in the research, said the vaccine could eventually become another tool for managing Type 1 diabetes if future studies confirm the results.

While the findings offer hope for improving diabetes management, experts stress that the BCG vaccine should not yet be considered a replacement for standard insulin therapy until further clinical trials establish its safety and effectiveness.