Here's my understanding of the research:

In the mice, Dr. Faustman used a two-legged therapy.  First, she used CFA, a substance that is a TNF alpha inducer (which is what BCG is also), to stop the active defective T-cells from attacking healthy islets.  Then, she introduced a substance that retrained the immune system to stop producing the defective T-cells in the first place.  With both populations of cells destroyed, the cure was permanent in the mice.  She also tested just using one of the compounds, and the mice did return to normoglycemia, but it wasn't permanent.  In both cases, islets were regenerated and began producing insulin again.

The FDA will only allow one drug to be tested at a time before they can move on to test a two-legged therapy for testing.  Also, they are still searching for a compound that serves the same role as the second compound used in the mice studies.  I believe CFA couldn't be used in people due to side effects and cost constraints making it problematic for use in people.  BCG, however, has been used for over 80 years in many varied dosages, and is considered extremely safe.

Therefore, the short term hope for this is how it might bring about a possible revolution in diabetes treatment.   Instead of endless carb counting, fingersticks, injections/pump use, sleepless nights for parents, complications, low blood sugars, etc. etc., one might instead be able to have periodic treatments with BCG and otherwise live a normal life. 

The long term hope is that the second compound will be identified, tested in clinical trials, and then coupled with BCG (if it's proven successful in the current phase 1 and subsequent phase 2 trials), for a permanent cure for all with Type 1, and possibly other autoimmune diseases. 

I don't know about you, but I would certainly trade periodic treatments for the current treatment options any day of the week.

I don't mind these kinds of questions/comments, as it sparks dialog.  The group gets really quiet sometimes, as we're all busy with our lives,  and it's always good to TALK!  ;-)

Thanks,
Stacy Lavery
Team Maryland Captain, JLN Campaign
Moderator, Nathan/Faustman Trials



--- In nathanfaustmantrials@yahoogroups.com, "rn_hyatt" <rn_hyatt@...> wrote:
>
> The errant T cells that attack islet cells are in constant
> production. How does BCG effect future growth of these T cells?
> At best following BCG administration, I would guess a increase in TNF-
> alpha, a reduction in bad T cells, but then a return to pre BCG T cell
> levels.
> Does Faustman intend to have patients take BCG on drip for life?
> Surely that is not the case, I hope!
>