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Type 1 diabetes: US-approved treatments and how Gulf families can access them

Creator: Reserve Meds
Published: 2026-10-17

A plain guide for families in the Gulf, checked against US FDA labels, Gulf drug registers and published medical research.

Reviewed by the Reserve Meds clinical operations team on 17 October 2026.

Type 1 diabetes: the short answer

The US FDA has approved two medicines on this page for type 1 diabetes, each for specific patients. One of them is on at least one Gulf register we checked, so ask your hospital about local supply first. Otherwise the hospital can request a named-patient import. Reserve Meds is a digital health company. We do not diagnose or prescribe.

US FDA-approved medicines on this page: Tzield and Lantidra.
Gulf registration (checked 17 October 2026): see each medicine below.
Legal route: Local supply where listed; otherwise a named-patient import request filed by the treating hospital; cell and gene therapies at a qualified center.
Price: Quote on request.

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. With little or no insulin, glucose stays in the blood, and over time high blood glucose can damage the heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums and teeth.^[1]

It often begins in children and young adults but can start at any age. Symptoms include strong thirst, hunger, frequent urination, tiredness, blurred vision and weight loss. Very high glucose can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening emergency.^{[1, 2]}

People with type 1 diabetes need insulin for life. In the US, one antibody infusion is approved to delay the onset of stage 3 type 1 diabetes in people with stage 2 disease, and a donor islet cell therapy is approved for some adults with repeated severe low blood sugar.^{[3, 4]}

Type 1 diabetes in the Gulf

A chapter of the NIDDK's Diabetes in America reports that among youth outside the US, type 1 diabetes prevalence was highest in Qatar, at 386.2 per 100,000 in 2018 to 2020.^[5]

US FDA-approved medicines for type 1 diabetes

Each medicine below is approved in the US for a specific group of patients. The wording summarizes the current US label. Your specialist decides whether any of them is right for the patient.

Tzield (teplizumab-mzwv)
FDA-approved for delaying the onset of stage 3 type 1 diabetes in adults and children 1 year and older who have stage 2 type 1 diabetes. It is given by intravenous infusion once a day for 14 days.^[3]
Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[6, 7]}
Lantidra (donislecel)
FDA-approved for adults with type 1 diabetes who cannot reach their target HbA1c because of repeated severe low blood sugar despite intensive management. It is a donor pancreatic islet cell therapy infused into the liver at a specialized center.^[4]
Given at a qualified treatment center. Gulf registers: Saudi Arabia: not found by brand name in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: not found by brand name in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register.^{[6, 7]}

How families in the Gulf can access these medicines

If the medicine is listed in your country. Ask your specialist and the hospital pharmacy about local supply first. A listing does not mean every hospital stocks the medicine, and another brand of the same medicine may also be registered, but local supply is usually the fastest route and you may not need us.

If it is not registered. The usual legal route is a named-patient request: the treating hospital, on your specialist's written request, asks the national regulator for permission to import the medicine for one patient, using the US FDA approval as the reference. In Saudi Arabia the SFDA Special Access Program guidance covers these requests; in Bahrain, NHRA Circular 41 of 2020 sets the procedure. Other Gulf countries have their own procedures, which the hospital pharmacy confirms.^{[8, 9]} Once approval is in place, Reserve Meds arranges supply through a US-licensed pharmaceutical wholesale partner to the hospital pharmacy.

For Lantidra. These treatments are made for each patient or need a specialized procedure, so treatment happens at a qualified center. For most Gulf families that means a referral from the treating specialist to a center that can give the treatment. A local hospital can only give it if the manufacturer agrees to supply that hospital and the regulator approves. We cannot promise that a manufacturer will agree.

Who does what

Your treating specialist decides whether a medicine is right for the patient and writes the letter.
The hospital checks local supply, files any import request, and gives the treatment safely.
The national regulator decides whether to approve the import of a medicine that is not registered.
The manufacturer decides where its medicine can be supplied, especially for cell and gene therapies.
Reserve Meds helps organize records, coordinates US supply through our wholesale partner, shipping and updates to your family. We do not give medical advice.

Documents you will usually need

A letter from the treating specialist with the diagnosis, past treatments and why the medicine is being considered
Reports that confirm the diagnosis, such as laboratory, genetic, imaging or pathology results, translated into English where needed
Recent clinic notes and a list of current medicines
For a hospital import request: the prescription, the hospital's request form and the written consent of the patient or guardian
Proof of the US FDA approval and the US prescribing information (we can supply these)

We give you a written timeline estimate once we see the hospital file. The regulator, the treatment center and the manufacturer set their own timelines.

What treatment costs

Quote on request. Your total cost depends on the medicine, the dose, shipping, import steps and coordination. Your coordination fee is quoted in writing for your case before you commit. No hidden charges.

How Reserve Meds helps

Reserve Meds is a digital health company. Medicines are supplied through a US-licensed pharmaceutical wholesale partner. We help your doctor and hospital prepare the file, arrange US supply and temperature-controlled shipping once approval is in place, and keep your family updated. We coordinate access to FDA-approved medicines only. Investigational medicines are only available through a manufacturer's expanded-access program requested by the treating physician; we can explain that route, but we do not supply them.

Ask us about treatment for type 1 diabetes

Tell us the medicine, your country and a WhatsApp or phone number. We reply within one business day. On WhatsApp we usually reply the same day.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an FDA-approved treatment for type 1 diabetes?

Yes. The medicines on this page have US FDA approval for specific groups of patients: Tzield and Lantidra. The exact conditions are in each US label and are summarized above. Your specialist decides whether any of them fits.

Is Tzield available in Saudi Arabia or the UAE?

Saudi Arabia: listed in the SFDA drugs list. Abu Dhabi: has an active code in the Abu Dhabi DoH drug code list. Checked 17 October 2026. UAE federal status, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman: not verified in a public register. A listing in Abu Dhabi does not show federal UAE status.

How can a family in the Gulf get Tzield?

Ask the treating hospital about local supply first. If it is not available, the hospital can file a named-patient import request with the national regulator on your specialist's written request. Once approved, we arrange US supply to the hospital pharmacy.

How much does treatment cost?

Quote on request. Your total cost, including the medicine, shipping, import steps and coordination, is quoted in writing for your case before you commit. No hidden charges.

What is stage 2 type 1 diabetes?

It is an early stage in which the immune attack has started and blood sugar is abnormal, but the full clinical disease (stage 3) has not begun. Tzield's US label is for delaying stage 3 in people with stage 2.

Does Tzield replace insulin?

No. It is approved to delay the onset of stage 3 disease. People who already have stage 3 type 1 diabetes still need insulin.

Sources for the last two answers: ^[3] ^{[3, 1]}

Sources

Checked on 17 October 2026. Labels, registers and regulator rules change. Your hospital pharmacy confirms the current position before filing.

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It does not replace a consultation with your doctor.