A groundbreaking case study reveals that a woman with type 1 diabetes began producing insulin again just months after receiving stem-cell treatment. Remarkably, she has not needed insulin injections for over a year.
This case is unique. Two additional participants have joined the clinical trial in China. Researchers are hopeful, as shared by Hongkui Deng, PhD, a cell biologist at Peking University.
The study, published in Cell, includes three patients. Deng mentioned, “We are still following these patients to ensure safety.” They aim for long-term data over two years.
The treatment involved taking fat cells from a 25-year-old woman and converting them into pluripotent stem cells. These cells were then used to create insulin-producing islet cells, essential for managing blood sugar levels.
Type 1 diabetes destroys these islet cells, preventing insulin production. This can lead to severe complications like nerve damage and vision loss. The patient had previously undergone two liver transplants and a pancreas transplant that failed due to diabetes complications.
After the procedure, the induced islet cells were injected into her abdomen. Remarkably, they thrived, forming their own blood vessels. Just two and a half months post-treatment, the woman no longer required insulin. After a year, she continued to be insulin-free.
Before treatment, her insulin production allowed her to maintain her target blood sugar levels only 43% of the time. Four months later, this increased to 96.2%. Her long-term glucose levels also returned to a non-diabetic range.
Other stem-cell trials for diabetes are underway. Vertex Pharmaceuticals recently announced promising results from their phase 1/2 trial involving 37 patients with type 1 diabetes.
James Shapiro, a leading researcher in this field, expressed enthusiasm for the Tianjin team’s success. He noted the advantage of using the patient’s own cells, which reduces rejection risks.
Looking ahead, Shapiro highlighted challenges that remain. Researchers are asking how to scale this process for more patients and whether they can do it without anti-rejection medications.
Deng echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for effective strategies to manufacture these cells affordably and safely for broader patient use.
