RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center introduced a groundbreaking preventive treatment aimed at slowing the progression of type 1 diabetes, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The new therapy is designed for adults and children aged eight years and older who are diagnosed at stage two of the disease. It marks the first time such a treatment has been implemented in the Kingdom.

The initial application involved two patients who met all the criteria outlined in the approved protocol. The step represents a major advance in early preventive care for one of the most common autoimmune conditions affecting children and adolescents.

Both cases were treated at the hospital’s Department of Pediatrics. For families already managing type 1 diabetes, the innovation brings new hope.

Siblings of affected children often face increased risk due to shared genetic and immune factors. Preventive options like this could significantly lower those risks in the future.