{
  "id": 7917618,
  "title": "Iraqi-Australians behind 'promising' type 1 diabetes treatment research",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/iraqi-australians-behind-promising-type-1-diabetes-treatment-research",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-17T01:32:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-17/queensland-couple-behind-new-american-diabetes-research/107159786"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Far North Queensland couple Rafid Al-Hallaf and Zainab Agha are leading early research on a promising type 1 diabetes treatment. Their work, published in the Journal of Immunology, targets the underlying cause of the disease by using specifically engineered antibodies. The therapy, which has shown 80% success in mice trials, aims to stop the immune system from destroying insulin-producing cells instead of merely replacing the insulin the body can no longer produce. Current treatments suppress the entire immune system, leaving patients vulnerable to infections. The new antibody, dubbed x-mAb, selectively disables rogue T cells responsible for the damage. In mouse trials, 16 treated mice achieved normal blood sugar levels, compared to none of the placebo group. Another experiment with pre-diabetic mice showed that 70% of the treated group remained disease-free after three months. While the St Vincent's Institute team has explored a broader immune-blocking drug, Dr Al-Hallaf emphasizes the unique specificity of their approach. To move forward, the JHU team will need FDA clearance before human trials can begin, which could take a decade or more. Dr Al-Hallaf and his family ultimately aim to return to Cairns, where they hope to further research this diabetes treatment and potentially apply it to skin cancer, a prevalent issue in Far North Queensland.",
  "summary": "A Far North Queensland couple who started their research journey in Cairns are part of a team behind \"promising\" early research on a new type 1 diabetes treatment.",
  "key_points": [
    "Iraqi-Australian couple Rafid Al-Hallaf and Zainab Agha lead type 1 diabetes research.",
    "Engineered antibodies x-mAb selectively disable T cells causing insulin cell destruction.",
    "80% success rate in mice trials, 70% of pre-diabetic mice remained disease-free after three months."
  ],
  "editors_take": "This breakthrough shifts the focus of type 1 diabetes treatment from managing symptoms to targeting the underlying cause, potentially offering patients a more effective and safer alternative to current therapies.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}