The findings by the international PREDICT T1D Study Group have just been published in Nature Medicine.
The new risk score, based on 50 specific microRNAs, can predict whether someone is on the path to developing type 1 diabetes (T1D) before the destructive autoimmune process has even started. This is vital when it comes to early detection and prevention of the disease and these findings therefore align well with our activities in DiaUnion.
These microRNAs regulate gene activity and play a key role in whether insulin-producing beta cells function or not. “Now, we have a tool that can give us a much earlier warning, and potentially allow for earlier interventions – and the score has been validated across several populations, making it a robust and versatile tool,” says Prof. Flemming Pociot who further comments on the findings in this article from Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen.
The findings also hold promise in evaluating whether early treatments – like the FDA-approved immunotherapy that delays type 1 diabetes – are effective in preserving beta cell function. EMA approval is expected within a year.
From biomarker discovery to clinical implementation, this work represents a major step in translating microRNA science into predictive practice as well as new opportunities for DiaUnion.
Huge congratulations to everyone in the PREDICTT1D collaboration on this milestone!
Read the full publication from Nature Medicine: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03730-7
