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London woman off insulin for Type 1 diabetes after a single dose of experimental manufactured stem cells

Northerner

Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Amanda Smith celebrates the day, August 1, nearly two years ago, when she stopped taking insulin to manage her type one diabetes, just a few months after getting a dose of experimental stem cells as part of a study.

“I remember, like, being scared and excited, and it’s history now,” she said.

The 36-year-old nurse and mother is part of a small, but what some call “milestone study,” of patients with Type 1 Diabetes using manufactured stem cells, designed to grow in the liver and become the full array of pancreatic islet cells that naturally control blood sugar levels.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers report that of the 12 patients who received a single dose of the stem cells, it eliminated the need for insulin in 10 for at least a year and stopped episodes of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, which can lead to dangerous complications, even death. For Amanda, the treatment has been a blessing.

www.ctvnews.ca

London woman off insulin for Type 1 diabetes after a single dose of experimental manufactured stem cells

Amanda Smith celebrates the day, August 1, nearly two years ago, when she stopped taking insulin to manage her type one diabetes, just a few months after getting a dose of experimental stem cells as part of a study.
www.ctvnews.ca www.ctvnews.ca

"Diagnosed with late-onset juvenile diabetes when she was 25" - erm, you can be diagnosed with T1D at any age, it's not 'late-onset juvenile diabetes' :( I was 49 and have known people in their 70s to receive a diagnosis :(
 
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There’s a lot of work going on with stem cells at the moment. Looks like there’s some interesting progress here.

The snag always seems to be maintaining the newly installed beta cells and protecting them from renewed autoimmune attack. Transplanted cells (like these stem cell ones) seem to only last about 5 years, even with immunosuppressants.

Still, great to see progress still being made!
 
Great results. I just hope they can find a way to eliminate the need for immunosuppressants very soon. The woman in the story was saying it was ‘just three pills a day’, but knowing someone who has to take them longterm, they can have nasty side effects. If only the beta cells can be ‘hidden’ somehow, then that would be fantastic.

Another thing I’ve always wondered is, what if they weren’t hidden and immunosuppressive wasn’t used - how quickly would the immune system kill them?
 
Inka said:
If only the beta cells can be ‘hidden’ somehow, then that would be fantastic.
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Yes, some years ago I saw Prof John Pickup talking about progress in research into Nano-encapsulation at an INPUT thing (now absorbed into JDRF/Breakthrough T1). Ways of protecting implanted (or generated) beta cells have been a focus for research for some time. Still elusive though.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Yes, some years ago I saw Prof John Pickup talking about progress in research into Nano-encapsulation at an INPUT thing (now absorbed into JDRF/Breakthrough T1). Ways of protecting implanted (or generated) beta cells have been a focus for research for some time. Still elusive though.
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Is this what you’re referring to? If I’ve understood you correctly this is about implanting without the need of immunosuppressants I think.
https://fb.watch/Axol91c7SY
 
gillrogers said:
Is this what you’re referring to? If I’ve understood you correctly this is about implanting without the need of immunosuppressants I think.
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Ah interesting @gillrogers

Prof Pickup was talking more theoretically, than around any one specific research project, but this does sound like interesting research!
 
Just thought I’d put this here as I thought of this thread when I read this. If the transplanted beta cells can’t be encapsulated, then having them not trigger the immune system is a great alternative and one I’ve mentioned before:


“First-in-Human Study Provides Evidence that Sana’s Hypoimmune (HIP) Technology Enables Transplanted Islet Cells to Avoid Immune Rejection and Produce Insulin Without Immunosuppression
Results Demonstrate HIP-Engineered Primary Pancreatic Islet Cells Avoid Immune Detection, Function, and Persist after Intramuscular Transplantation in First Treated Patient with Type 1 Diabetes
Function and Persistence of Pancreatic Islets Were Detectable by Production of Consistent Levels of Circulating C-Peptide, a Marker of Insulin Production, and Increased C-Peptide Levels with a Mixed Meal Tolerance Test (MMTT)
MRI Shows Signals Consistent with Graft Survival 28 Days after Transplantation
Study Continues to Evaluate Safety, Persistence, and Function of Transplanted Cells”​
 
Inka said:
Thanks @Bruce Stephens 🙂
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I must admit the host seems to regard wearing a pump (etc.) as sufficiently bad that he thinks he'd prefer immune suppression. I'd guess most people with Type 1 would disagree though I'm sure there's a minority for whom immune suppression would be a good exchange.
 
A very small minority, I think! Immune suppression can cause all kinds of issues, along with the most well-known ones.

That’s why the Sana research sounds so good.
 
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