He’s Off Mealtime Insulin: Here’s His Tzield Story
7/2/202647 min
What if a newly diagnosed person with type 1 diabetes (T1D) could dramatically reduce their insulin needs, or even stop taking mealtime insulin altogether?
In this episode of the Diabetes Nerd Podcast, we sit down with Jacob, who was diagnosed with T1D in February 2026 and enrolled in the Beta Preserve clinical trial just weeks later. The study is exploring whether two rounds of Tzield (teplizumab) can preserve insulin-producing beta cells more effectively than a single treatment.
Just months after beginning treatment, Jacob has cut his basal insulin by more than half and no longer needs mealtime insulin. He shares what it was like to undergo 12 consecutive days of Tzield infusions, the side effects he experienced, and how his blood sugars and daily life have changed.
We also discuss how Tzield works, why early screening for type 1 diabetes is becoming increasingly important, and what this research could mean for the future of T1D treatment. Most importantly, Jacob explains why he hopes his story inspires others to consider screening, clinical trials, and opportunities to preserve beta cell function after diagnosis.
If you live with type 1 diabetes, care for someone who does, or want to stay informed about the latest diabetes research, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Would you consider participating in a clinical trial like this? Have questions about Tzield or T1D screening? Leave a comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for tuning in! Thanks to Eversense for sponsoring the Diabetes Nerd Podcast. Eversense is home to the world's only 365-Day CGM. See if it's right for you at eversensecgm.com.
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Thanks to Eversense for sponsoring the Diabetes Nerd Podcast. Eversense is home to the world's only 365-Day CGM. See if it's right for you at eversensecgm.com.
DISCLAIMER: This video is not medical advice. Ginger Vieira is not a doctor. Please consult your healthcare team before making any changes to your healthcare regimen.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsGinger Vieira· Host0:01
All right. In this week's episode of the Diabetes Nerd podcast, I'm talking to a young man named Jacob, who is actually coming off insulin after his type 1 diagnosis in February, thanks to a clinical trial that's using a whole second round of teplizumab, also known as Tezzieled. They've done clinical trials on Tezzieled using it just once to see its impact at protecting and preserving your body's natural insulin production if you were recently diagnosed or if you have not even been diagnosed with type 1 yet because you're in stage 2. Jacob is in a clinical trial doing two rounds of teplizumab. So this is pretty cool. We're digging into a clinical trial here that's actually aiming to prevent type 1 diabetes while definitely delaying the need for daily insulin therapy. Here we go. The Diabetes Nerd podcast is proud to be sponsored by the Eversense 365 day implantable continuous glucose monitor brought to you by Ascensia Diabetes Care. I've been using the Eversense CGM since April of 2025, and I love it. It's the only CGM device that lasts a year. The sensor was placed just under the skin on my arm. The transmitter sits on my skin with this silicone