The VER-A-T1D (Verapamil SR in adults with Type 1 Diabetes) study is an intervention study within the INNODIA project (an Innovative Medicines Initiative consortium (IMI-2), established through Horizon 2020 initiative of the European Union, involving academic, industry and charitable partners).~In the VER-A-T1D study, the effects of treatment of newly diagnosed patients with T1D with Verapamil will be evaluated. Verapamil appears to protect beta cell function, an effect that could in part be caused by protection against beta cell apoptosis. GLP-1 receptors are expressed in high densities in beta cells. Exendin, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, can be labeled with radionuclides and thus be utilized for visualization of beta cells in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET). This technology has been demonstrated to deliver quantitative information of the radiotracer uptake in the pancreas demonstrating a linear correlation with beta cell mass. In VER-A-T1D, we propose to measure beta cell mass at the time points of inclusion and at evaluation after 12 months. If verapamil protects beta cells against apoptosis, we expect that the uptake of the radiotracer will be higher at 12 months in comparison to the first measurement in the treatment group. The study will be a substudy to VER-A-T1D.
The goal of the trial is to measure pancreatic uptake of 68Ga-NODAGA-exendin by PET/CT for detection of intra-individual differences in beta cell mass before and after treatment with Verapamil.