599171 Disclosed herein is the use of sulfonamides of formula (I) wherein R and R1 are as defined in the description, for the preparation of medicaments for the prevention of diabetes, in particular of type-1 diabetes. The compounds are disclosed to protect pancreatic &bgr；-cells from structural and/or functional damage and to significantly delay the onset of diabetes as well as to reduce the severity of the disease, once this develops.
