In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the pancreatic IL1-receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) expression is reduced and high glucose concentrations induce IL-1 production in β-cells leading to impaired insulin secretion, decreased cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Larsen et al., using anakinra, a recombinant human IL-1Ra, in 70 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, observed after 13 weeks an improved β-cell secretory function (reduced glycated haemoglobin level, enhanced C-peptide secretion, reduced ratio of proinsulin to insulin) and a reduction of IL-6 and C-reactive protein, markers of systemic inflammation. The same authors in a 39-week follow-up study investigated the durability of these responses: the reduced proinsulin/insulin ratio and CRP and IL-6 serum levels were maintained. The improvement in β-cell function could be a consequence of inhibited IL-1 signaling and not only of improved glycaemia per se.