Stem cell therapy could be breakthrough against type 1 diabetes

Key Takeaways

• An experimental stem cell therapy can essentially cure type 1 diabetes by restoring insulin production in some patients, early clinical trial results show.
• A clinical trial of the therapy has been expanded to 37 patients and is actively recruiting.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system mistakenly targets and attacks the islet cells in the pancreas that generate insulin. VX-880 is an experimental therapy that works by introducing fresh islet cells that have been derived from stem cells, with the aim that those cells will restore pancreatic function.

VX-880 can essentially cure type 1 diabetes by restoring insulin production in some patients, early clinical trial results show. Seven out of 12 patients no longer needed daily insulin shots after receiving a full dose of the therapy, researchers reported at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting. Another two needed about 70% less insulin daily to keep their blood sugar stable, results show. 

The findings indicate that the VX-880 stem cell-derived islet cells function like a person’s own islet cells, researchers concluded. “This positive data adds to the growing body of evidence for VX-880’s potential to revolutionize the treatment of type 1 diabetes,” said researcher Dr. Piotr Witkowski, director of the pancreatic and islet transplant program at the University of Chicago.

The trial has been expanded to enroll a total of 37 participants, researchers said. For more information on the trial, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04786262, call 617-341-6777, or email medicalinfo@vrtx.com. 

Edited by Miriam Kaplan, PhD

Source: Dennis Thompson, Medical Xpress, June 25, 2024; see source article