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Annette Quilter, a 42-year-old from Shropshire, has become the first person in the UK to receive Teplizumab as part of standard clinical care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), part of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB), following its approval for NHS use earlier this year.

Teplizumab is a first-of-its-kind treatment that has been shown to delay progression to insulin-requiring Type 1 Diabetes in people with early-stage disease.

Annette was identified as eligible for the treatment through specialist screening and assessment after being diagnosed with Stage 2 Type 1 Diabetes in the summer.

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Teplizumab works by slowing this process, helping to preserve these cells for longer before insulin treatment becomes necessary.

Since June 2026, it has been available through the NHS for children aged eight and above, and adults with Stage 2 Type 1 Diabetes who meet the eligibility criteria.

Speaking about starting the treatment, Annette said: “Being diagnosed was a bit of a shock but, luckily, it was picked up early enough for this new treatment to be an option for me. The team here have worked really hard to make it happen quickly, and I’m really pleased that I’ve been able to start treatment today.

“I have three small children and I’m a GP, so finding space in my life at the moment for Type 1 Diabetes and managing it every day would be an enormous ask. To have a little bit of breathing space before I need to start insulin, and time to prepare for that, means a great deal.”

Research trials have shown that Teplizumab can halve the rate at which people progress to insulin treatment.

Annette will receive one infusion a day at QEHB for 14 consecutive days to complete the course of treatment. Each infusion (a drip into a vein) takes approximately 30 minutes, followed by a period of observation.

Annette added: “I’m very happy to be the first person in the UK to receive the treatment on the NHS, and I’m excited to see what it can do. To be diagnosed at a time when this treatment is available makes me feel very fortunate. The team have been wonderful.”

The milestone follows years of research and collaboration that have helped bring Teplizumab into routine clinical practice.

The administration of the first Teplizumab treatment at QEHB has been made possible thanks to the dedication and expertise of the infusion nursing team, alongside colleagues in pharmacy. The work has been led by Dr Danijela Tatovic, Consultant Diabetologist at QEHB, Professor Parth Narendran, Honorary Consultant Physician at UHB, and supported by Dr Lauren Quinn, Specialty Registrar in Diabetes and Endocrinology at UHB.

Dr Tatovic said: “It is exciting to mark the paradigm change in treating Type 1 Diabetes. For the first time, we have a treatment that can delay progression to insulin-requiring Type 1 Diabetes, offering patients and their families valuable additional time before the condition develops further. We hope that immunotherapy will soon become a gold standard treatment for Type 1 Diabetes instead of insulin.”

Matthew Metcalfe, Hospital Executive Director for QEHB, added: "We are incredibly proud to have treated the first patient in the UK with Teplizumab at QEHB and to now be able to offer this pioneering treatment to eligible patients.

“Birmingham has been at the forefront of diabetes research for many years, and reaching this point is a testament to the collaboration between our clinicians, researchers and specialist teams, alongside colleagues at the University of Birmingham and partner NHS organisations. I'd like to congratulate everyone involved in helping bring this important new treatment to patients.