GPPAD-POInT
(Global Platform of Autoimmune Diabetes – Primary Oral Insulin Trial)

Type 1 diabetes is a common metabolic disease in children and adolescents caused by insulin deficiency. This deficiency is due to a faulty immune system. The body’s own defense system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and destroys them. As a result, children with type 1 diabetes require life-long treatment with insulin injections.

The aim of POInT (Primary Oral Insulin Trial) is to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes in children with a high risk of type 1 diabetes through the daily administration of oral insulin powder. In the first years of life, the immune system of children is particularly susceptible to new stimuli. The daily administration of insulin powder along with a meal should tell the immune system that insulin is not a structure that it must fight. This video illustrates the principle. Once eaten, the insulin is broken down by the body allowing the body to recognise it and learn to tolerate it. Unlike insulin which is injected, oral insulin is not used the lower blood sugar. The powder is tasteless and shows no side effect. In this movie you will see how the powder is taken.

Preliminary studies and experiences from allergy research provide indications that this training of the immune system with oral insulin could succeed. However, there is currently no guarantee. The POInT study is a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. This means that one half of the participating children take insulin powder, while the other half receive a placebo (capsules with inactive substance). The study participants and the study staff are "blinded", ie they do not know which capsules contain insulin or placebo. This is important to be able to judge the effectiveness of the treatment with insulin powder later.

Your child may take part in this study if they involved in the INGR1D screening study and were found to be at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes, and if your child is aged between 4 – 7 months.

For more information, please read our study leaflet  or you can contact the study team on:

Phone number: 01865 611 400
Email: info@ovg.ox.ac.uk

Address:
The POInT Study Team
Oxford Vaccine Group,
CCVTM, Churchill Hospital
OX3 7LE

For more information, please visit our FAQ page.