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For the first time in more than 100 years, since the discovery of insulin, Australia has approved a new therapy that can delay the progression of type 1 diabetes.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved Tzield (teplizumab) for people aged 8 years and older living with stage 2 type 1 diabetes (T1D). The therapy has been shown to delay the progression to stage 3 T1D, the stage where insulin treatment becomes necessary, by an average of two years.
For thousands of Australians and their families, this marks a turning point in how type 1 diabetes may be identified, treated and managed in the future.
Tzield is the brand name for teplizumab, a disease-modifying therapy developed to target the underlying immune process that causes type 1 diabetes.
Unlike insulin, which helps manage blood glucose after diagnosis, Tzield works earlier in the disease process. It helps slow the immune system’s attack on insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, potentially preserving their function for longer.
The treatment is given through a daily infusion over 14 consecutive days.
This is the first approved therapy in Australia specifically designed to delay the onset of stage 3 type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes develops in stages.
In stage 2 T1D:
Without intervention, people in stage 2 will eventually progress to stage 3 T1D, where symptoms such as excessive thirst, fatigue, weight loss and frequent urination appear, and insulin therapy becomes necessary.
Tzield has been shown to delay this progression, offering families more time before the daily demands of insulin therapy and glucose management begin.
While two years may sound small to some, for families living with type 1 diabetes, two years can mean:
This approval also reinforces the growing importance of early screening for type 1 diabetes.
Experts estimate that around 25,000 Australians may currently be living with early-stage, undiagnosed type 1 diabetes.
Programs like Type1Screen, supported by Breakthrough T1D Australia, are helping identify people at risk before symptoms appear. Early detection opens the door to treatments like Tzield and allows families to better prepare and monitor disease progression.
Although Tzield has now been approved by the TGA, access will depend on whether it is added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which would make the therapy more affordable and accessible for Australians.
The diabetes community, healthcare professionals and advocacy organisations are now calling for PBS support to ensure eligible Australians can access this groundbreaking treatment.
Therapies like Tzield are opening the door to something new: the possibility of delaying the condition before symptoms even begin. While this is not yet a cure, it is a significant and hopeful step forward
Information sourced from:
