Kyoto University Hospital is set to conduct a clinical trial starting in February with the goal of creating a more manageable treatment for intractable type 1 diabetes. This innovative approach involves utilizing cellular sheets made from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which will be transplanted into patients in an effort to restore insulin production and reduce the need for daily insulin injections. The team behind this research, including scientists from Kyoto University’s Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), is exploring a novel way to address the challenges faced by type 1 diabetes patients due to the destruction of pancreatic islet cells.
Type 1 diabetes, driven by immune abnormalities and other factors causing the destruction of pancreatic islet cells, typically requires patients to rely on insulin injections to regulate blood glucose levels. Unlike type 2 diabetes, which can sometimes be managed through lifestyle changes, type 1 diabetes poses difficulties in recovery solely through diet and exercise. The upcoming clinical trial aims to test the effectiveness of transplanting pancreatic islet cell sheets derived from iPS cells into severe diabetes patients as an alternative therapeutic approach to traditional insulin injections. By engineering these cellular sheets from healthy donor iPS cells and transplanting them into patients, the research team hopes to offer a promising avenue for improved diabetes management.
The potential benefits of this new technology extend to reducing the risk of blood glucose fluctuations in patients with type 1 diabetes, ultimately decreasing the need for emergency medical interventions. Professor Daisuke Yabe, known for his expertise in diabetes research at Kyoto University Hospital, expressed optimism about the long-term possibilities of this innovative treatment, envisioning a future where individuals no longer have to rely on daily insulin injections. The research team's ultimate goal is to establish the safety and efficacy of this transplantation method for type 1 diabetes patients, with plans to seek practical application in the 2030s pending successful clinical trial results and regulatory approvals.