Rare baby diabetes study could rewrite treatment rules
NCT ID NCT03369821
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at babies diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before age 2, a rare and extreme form of the disease. Researchers want to understand what goes wrong in the immune system to cause such early onset. By studying these children and comparing them to others with diabetes and healthy controls, they hope to find new ways to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes in everyone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this research could identify new drug targets to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes in all age groups.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. Findings may not translate into therapies, and the very small patient group may not represent typical diabetes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 300 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2017
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
EET1D: i) diagnosis of diabetes \<24 months ii) exclusion of mutation in all 23 monogenic non-autoimmune neonatal diabetes genes using targeted capture Next Generation Sequencing(NGS) iii) T1D GRS within distribution of T1D reference population. iv) Diagnosis of monogenic type 1 diabetes defined as a mutation in a gene known to cause type 1 diabetes or Down's syndrome. Study 1: existing cases of any age meeting above criteria. Study 2: new cases meeting above criteria, aged \<24 months. Comparison groups: Study 1: duration-matched patients with T1D diagnosed at 1-20 years of age. Study 2: Age- \& duration-matched controls monogenic/NDM (confirmed by Exeter Molecular Genetics Laboratory) Non-diabetic controls: Aged 0-6 years without diabetes
- Ages
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Up to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Study 1: EET1D * Aged 0 to 70 years * Clinical diagnosis of diabetes \<24 months (+ evidence of WHO diabetes criteria) * Negative genetic test for mutations causing non-autoimmune neonatal diabetes if diagnosed \<12 months * Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score \>50th centile of T1D reference group, or monogenic cause of T1D. T1D Controls * Age 0-70 years (matched to above) * Clinical diagnosis of T1D (diagnosed age 1-20 years) * Insulin treated from diagnosis. Monogenic / NDM controls * Diagnosis of diabetes \<12 months * Diagnosis of monogenic / NDM (confirmed by Exeter Molecular Genetics Laboratory). Study 2: EET1D * Aged 0 to 24 months at recruitment * Clinical diagnosis of diabetes \<24 months (+ evidence of WHO diabetes criteria) * Negative genetic test for mutations causing non-autoimmune neonatal diabetes * Type 1 diabetes genetic risk score \>50th centile of T1D reference group, or monogenic cause of T1D. Monogenic/NDM controls * Diagnosis of diabetes \<24 months * Age 0 to 18 months at recruitment * Diagnosis of monogenic/NDM (confirmed by Exeter Molecular Genetics Laboratory). Non-diabetic controls * Aged 0-6 years * Attending specified participating hospital sites for elective surgery, including but not limited to: inguinal hernia repair, umbilical/midline hernia repair, orchidopexy, gastrostomy insertion/change, hypospadias repair, cleft palate repair, excision of accessory digit, laryngoscopy, adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, MRI under general anaesthesia, eye surgery. Exclusion Criteria: Study 1: * Aged \>70 years * No diagnosis of diabetes * MODY (e.g. caused by HNF1A/HNF4A/HNF1B/GCK mutations), type 2 diabetes or diabetes related to pancreatic insufficiency or syndromic diabetes * Intercurrent illness at time of sampling for PBMCs (see below). Study 2: * Aged \>24 months * Clinical diagnosis of diabetes \>24 months * Intercurrent illness at time of sampling for PBMCs or RNA (see below). Non-diabetic controls: * Aged \>6 years * Diagnosis of diabetes or other autoimmune condition * Known immunological disorder * On immunosuppressive medication * Ongoing infections/sepsis * Major congenital abnormality or significant systemic illness that may affect the immune system, e.g. metabolic disease, 22q deletion syndrome * Recent (within two weeks) febrile illness * Renal failure. For PBMC and RNA sampling: Exclusion for factors that may alter T cell function and RNAseq Review the following exclusion criteria carefully at time of appointment as some details may have changed since initial contact: * Recreational drug use (excluding cannabis use more than 1 week prior to blood sampling) - drug abuse may alter T cell function * Alcohol related illness (excessive alcohol consumption may alter T cell function) * Renal failure: Creatinine \>200 (as may alter T cell function) * Any other medical condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, would affect the safety of the subject's participation. Factors that if temporary would lead to rearrangement of study visit but if long duration, may lead to exclusion subject to the CI's discretion: * Pregnant or lactating (as this may limit blood sampling and affect T cell function) * Any infectious illness within the last 2 weeks if it was a febrile illness, or within 2-3 days if it was non-febrile (as this may activate T cells non-specifically) * Taking steroids or other immunosuppressive medications (as these may alter T cell function) * Received any immunoglobulin treatments or blood products in the last 3 months (as these may alter T cell function).
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
3 sites in 3 countries. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Benaroya Research Institute
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGSeattle, Washington, 98101-2795, United States
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King's College London
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITINGLondon, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
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Leiden University Medical Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGLeiden, Leiden, 2333 ZA, Netherlands
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Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
RECRUITINGExeter, Devon, EX2 5DW, United Kingdom
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Scientists track type 1 diabetes triggers in families
- Could a diabetes drug fix period problems in teens with type 1?
- Study on GLP-1 for type 1 diabetes withdrawn before it began
- Can a simple monitor predict type 1 diabetes before symptoms start?