TZIELD Indication
Kristi is a mental health professional living in Texas with her husband and three children, Jacob, Josh, and Josie. Josh was diagnosed with stage 2 type 1 diabetes in 2022.
Disclaimer:
Kristi and Josh are being compensated for sharing their story in this video.
KRISTI:
I am being compensated by Sanofi to share our story.
Disclaimer:
Josh is a TZIELD patient. Individual results may vary. Please see Important Safety Information at the conclusion of this video and full Prescribing Information/Medication Guide on this webpage.
JOSH:
I'm 18 years old. I like to hang out with my friends. I like to cook. I love making meals for myself and I love hanging out with my family. They're really fun to be with.
Disclaimer:
Patient stories reflect the real-life experiences of persons diagnosed with Stage 2 T1D who have been prescribed TZIELD. However, individual experiences may vary. Patient stories are not necessarily representative of what another person using TZIELD may experience.
KRISTI:
Josh was 17 and a junior in high school when he was diagnosed with stage two type one diabetes.
He had been feeling fatigued and sleeping much more than what we thought was normal, so his doctor ran a comprehensive battery of tests and the results were an abnormal blood glucose level.
We thought that he was going to be diagnosed with type two diabetes because we have a family history of that. We don't have a family history of type one.
We were shocked when it was found that Josh had multiple type one diabetes related autoantibodies.
Along with abnormal blood glucose levels, this led to a diagnosis of stage two type one diabetes.
We were relieved that we had found Josh's diabetes in stage two, but there was a lot of anxiety that we felt for what would lie ahead and how it would change his life.
JOSH:
At first I didn't really know what to think. I didn't know much about it, but I pretty quickly started doing some research on my own as well as with my family and figured out how serious it really is and how much it really could change my life.
KRISTI:
I also see an endocrinologist for management of my thyroid disease. So at a doctor's visit, I mentioned to him that Josh had been diagnosed with stage two type one diabetes, and he told us about a treatment called TZIELD.
Disclaimer:
What is TZIELD? TZIELD is a prescription medicine used to delay the onset of Stage 3 type 1 diabetes, which is when your body can’t make enough insulin on its own and may require insulin injections. TZIELD is for adults and children 8 years of age an older who have Stage 2 type 1 diabetes. This means that they have tested positive for 2 or more type 1 diabetes-related autoantibodies, have abnormal blood sugar levels and do not have type 2 diabetes. It is not known if TZIELD is safe and effective in children under 8 years of age.
KRISTI:
He said TZIELD is an infusion that takes place over 14 consecutive days and would have the potential to delay Josh's diabetes from the progression of stage two to stage three insulin dependence.
Disclaimer:
The most common side effects of TZIELD include rash, leukopenia (decrease in white blood cell counts) and headache. TZIELD may cause serious side effects, including cytokine release syndrome and lymphopenia, which is a decrease in white blood cells. Tell your doctor before getting a vaccine, as TZIELD may affect how well it works.
KRISTI:
We learned that the most common side effects of TZIELD include rash, leukopenia, which is a decrease in white blood cell counts, and headache. I also learned that TZIELD may cause serious side effects, including cytokine release syndrome and lymphopenia, which is a decrease in white blood cells.
Once Josh made the decision, our first step was to get insurance approval. That came through rather quickly. So the next step was to find an infusion center to provide the treatment, and that was more of a challenge.
Our COMPASS Navigator was really helpful at answering our questions and helping us find the closest infusion center.
Josh began his infusions in June of 2023
JOSH:
So the way I prepared for the infusion is I would go in and they would draw some blood and do a blood test just to make sure everything was going smoothly before it started.
Disclaimer:
TZIELD is given by a healthcare provider through a needle placed in a vein (intravenous infusion) in your arm.
JOSH:
I passed the time by talking with my mom or the nurses who were really fun to hang out with, as well as the precautionary medications they gave to me made me pretty drowsy, so anytime there wasn't anyone around to talk to or anything, I would just be asleep. Which was a lot of the time.
Disclaimer:
For the first 5 days of treatment, your healthcare provider will give you medicines by mouth before starting TZIELD infusion. These medicines include ibuprofen, naproxen or other pain relievers or other pain relievers sucha an acetaminophen, an antihistamine, and an anti-nausea medicine. These medicines may help reduce symptoms of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) such as a fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, or nausea.
There was some aches when I would get home, and then the most notable side effect that I did end up getting was rashes along my hands, which just having itchy hands is not fun, but that was about the worst it got.
Josh also developed a rash on his abdomen and his ankle which was mostly resolved by the 2-week mark.
Disclaimer:
Individual results may vary.
JOSH:
Having more time before I progress to stage three is important to me.
JOSH:
My next step in life is attend a university for engineering.
Disclaimer:
There is no evidence to suggest that TZIELD will have any effect on burden of disease, outcomes, or life expectancy.
JOSH:
And it's a relief to be able to fully focus on my studies and social life, which is very important to me.
FULL ISI with VO
MAT-US-2410643-v2.0-04/2025
