During a recent visit with staff at Magellan Financial Group, Dr Jennifer Snaith — Staff Specialist Endocrinologist at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and current SVCRF grant recipient — shared insights into her latest research and how donor support is helping drive early-stage innovation. The session was a valuable opportunity to connect Magellan directly with the research they help make possible, and to showcase the real-world impact of their generosity in supporting early-stage medical research.

Dr Snaith is leading an exciting clinical trial that is helping to reshape how we approach treatment for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and excess weight. With the support of the Foundation, she is investigating whether a once-weekly injection of tirzepatide — a medication currently approved for type 2 diabetes — can improve metabolic and cardiovascular health in adults with T1D.

Overweight and obesity are increasingly common in people with T1D, and when combined with features of metabolic syndrome — sometimes called “double diabetes” — they lead to a significantly increased risk of heart disease. Current treatment options are limited, with insulin being the only approved therapy for T1D. However, insulin itself can contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance and other metabolic challenges.

The TIRTLE1 study, a phase II placebo-controlled trial, is the first of its kind in T1D to evaluate the potential of dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists like tirzepatide. The study assesses whether tirzepatide, when used alongside insulin, can reduce insulin resistance, support weight management, and ultimately lower cardiovascular risk.

In addition to testing the drug’s impact, the research is exploring biological markers that may help predict which patients are most likely to benefit — potentially guiding more personalised treatment strategies in the future.

While tirzepatide is not yet approved for use in T1D, this important early-stage research is helping fill a critical knowledge gap and may pave the way for larger phase III studies and future approval. It is also generating vital evidence to inform safe off-label use in clinical practice.

Dr Snaith is preparing to present the outcomes of this research at an international diabetes conference in Vienna later this year, with publication of the findings to follow — ensuring the results contribute to clinical knowledge and practice on a global scale.