The damaged immune systems of diabetics can be ‘retrained’ to stop them destroying insulin, scientists believe, following successful trials of a pioneering new therapy.

Researchers at King’s College London and Cardiff University showed that injecting patients with tiny protein fragments prevented immune cells from targeting vital insulin.

Type 1 diabetes develops when a patient's immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Without treatment the number of beta cells will slowly decrease and the body will no longer be able to maintain normal blood sugar (blood glucose) levels, leading to patients needing daily injections.

But a trial

involving 27 people showed it was possible to halt the loss of beta cells with fortnightly or monthly injections for six months. There were also no toxic side-effects.