Diabetes is when your blood sugar levels are higher than they should be. Around 37 million people in the US, both grown-ups and kids, have diabetes. It can harm your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. It can also increase the risk of certain cancers.
People with type 1 diabetes are unable to produce insulin naturally due to non-functioning islet cells in the pancreas. This necessitates daily doses of insulin via injections or an insulin pump.
However, last Friday, Oct. 3, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated released a positive update on their new research. The new research may offer a breakthrough for some of these individuals. In a study that included six participants with type 1 diabetes.
An experimental treatment using stem cell-derived islet cells. Referred to as VX-880, has shown to enhance blood sugar regulation and decrease the need for insulin injections. Impressively, three participants in the study were able to discontinue their daily insulin entirely.
Can Stem Cell Therapy Cure Type 1 Diabetes?
This potential new therapy, VX-880, is introduced into the body through an infusion and consists of stem cells engineered to become insulin-producing cells, thereby replacing the ineffective islet cells. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the company behind VX-880, funded this research.
According to Dr. Trevor Reichman, surgical director of the Pancreas and Islet Transplant Program at University Health Network’s Ajmera Transplant Center in Toronto, Canada, “Islet cells have the potential to cure diabetes, and I believe this study is a huge step forward in that direction.”
Type 1 diabetes develops when the pancreas fails to make enough insulin, a hormone essential for transporting blood sugar, also known as glucose, into cells to be used as energy. Without sufficient insulin, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream. Leading to symptoms like severe tiredness, blurred vision, weight loss, and disorientation.
Stem cells have the unique ability to proliferate rapidly and transform into various cell types. The cells utilized in VX-880 are cultivated in a laboratory setting. After they are implanted, they change into islet cells and gain the ability to create insulin.
Reichman also said “They are essentially off-the-shelf but do take several weeks to produce prior to infusion.”
A Reason for the Hope
In the recent research, every one of the six participants receiving VX-880 experienced better blood sugar management. This was indicated by a disappearance of serious hypoglycemic events. Better HbA1c values (which reflect average blood sugar over several months), and more consistent blood sugar levels within the advised range. All within three months of treatment.
Consequently, these individuals required lower doses of insulin, with some not needing insulin anymore.
Moreover, Dr. Reichman is not the only doctor who does the study about VX-880. Doug Melton, Ph.D., co-director of HSCI a Xander University Professor at Harvard and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical institute says VX-880 is not only a potential breakthrough in the treatment of T1D, it is also one of the very first demonstrations of the practical application of embryonic stem cells, using stem cells that have been differentiated into functional islets to treat a patient.
Early outcomes suggest Harvard Stem Cell Institute’s research has contributed to a potential new treatment for Type 1 diabetes. Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ VX-880, a stem cell-derived therapy, has shown promising islet cell function restoration in a patient with T1D when used with immunosuppressive therapy.
The patient, living with T1D for 40 years, received a half-dose of VX-880 and saw significant improvements in insulin production and blood sugar control. Reducing their reliance on injected insulin.
The initial success with VX-880 in the first patient is groundbreaking, especially considering it was achieved with just a half dose, remarked Bastiano Sanna, Ph.D., of Vertex. This encourages further VX-880 trials and the development of islet cells that may not require immunosuppression.
“As a surgeon who has worked in the field of islet cell transplantation for decades, this approach, which obviates the need for an organ donor, could be a game changer.” – James Markmann, M.D., Ph.D.,
Douglas Melton from Harvard has been aiming to create an islet cell replacement therapy for over a decade to offer a functional cure for T1D. These encouraging outcomes offer hope for a transformative treatment for those dealing with T1D, underlining the value of Harvard’s and HSCI’s backing.
For individuals living with Type 1 diabetes, the journey may have been long and fraught with daily challenges, but the horizon is brightening. The remarkable strides taken in the development of treatments like VX-880 herald a new dawn of hope.
With the dedication of institutions like the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the pioneering spirit of researchers and clinicians, the dream of a functional cure is inching closer to reality.
These advancements promise not just better management of the condition but a potential life where daily insulin injections could become a thing of the past.
As research continues to break new ground, there’s every reason for those affected by Type 1 diabetes to look forward with optimism to a future filled with possibility and empowerment.
