Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the cells in the pancreas, responsible for producing insulin, are destroyed. Patients must inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels. Significant progress has been made with insulin pumps and closed loops, which automate blood sugar regulation. However, these treatments do not offer a cure. Pancreatic islet transplants are an option but remain limited.
Brand new stem cells to produce insulin
A new study, published in Celltested an autologous transplant of IPS stem cells, taken from the patient herself, to reprogram them into pancreatic cells. One year after this transplant, the 12-year-old type 1 diabetic patient was able to regain autonomous insulin production, without the need for injections. This world first opens up interesting perspectives even if this treatment remains complex and cannot yet be generalized. Explanations of this study with Roberto Mallone is a diabetologist at Cochin hospital and research director of an INSERM team at the Cochin institute.
