US-based biotech company Sana Biotechnology has released clinical data showing that the first person receiving engineered islets from deceased donors is now producing insulin without the need for immunosuppressive drugs. This marks a major step forward in cell-based therapies for T1D.
Engineered islets are clusters of cells in the pancreas, with beta cells within these islets responsible for producing insulin. In T1D, the immune system attacks and destroys these insulin-producing cells. To combat this, Sana’s trial used islets from deceased donors, which were genetically modified using the company’s ‘hypoimmune’ technology to avoid immune system rejection. These modified islets were then implanted into the muscle tissue of a person with T1D who had volunteered to be part of the study.
After just four weeks, the research team found that the person was making significantly more insulin than before. Critically, this was achieved without the need for immunosuppressive drugs and marks the first time that engineered islets have successfully avoided immune destruction.
The data that has been released is the first step in this incredibly promising research programme, with the application of hypoimmune technology providing a way to protect insulin-producing cells without such drugs.
However, islets from organ donors are in short supply, so stem cell-derived islets could offer a more scalable solution for treating a larger number of people with T1D.
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