Type 1 diabetes is mainly treated by insulin replacement therapy. Researches are being done on how cell replacement therapy can help replace lost insulin producing cells.
A new research presented at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting evaluates whether immune-engineered, allogeneic insulin-producing cells can survive and function without chronic immunosuppression. This study address the major obstacle that limits the use of islet and stem cell-based replacement therapies for type 1 diabetes, which is immune rejection.
According to Sonja Schrepfer, M.D., Ph.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USA, and Guest Professor at Uppsala University, Sweden, the main goal of this research is to develop a cell replacement approach that can survive and function without chronic immunosuppressors and to provide a cure for type 1 diabetes.
This is first in human study is designed to evaluate if hypoimmune engineering can help transplanted allogeneic cells to persist, protect them from immune attack and survive without chronic immunosuppression.
If the research results turnout positive this can help to expand access to cell replacement therapy by eliminating the use of chronic immunosuppression. This can even be translated to other cell replacement therapies also.
MBH/PS