Innovative Treatment Reduces Insulin Dependence in Diabetes Patients

A recent study conducted in the United States has revealed promising developments in the treatment of type 1 diabetes through a new stem cell-based technique that could eventually eliminate the need for insulin injections.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study showed that 10 out of 12 participants regained the ability to naturally produce insulin after receiving an experimental treatment known as VX-880 (commercially called Zemiglucel), developed by the pharmaceutical company Vertex.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, who led the study, reported that none of the patients experienced severe hypoglycemia during the first three months following treatment. After one year, most participants were able to stop using insulin entirely, while only two continued with low doses.

This therapeutic approach involves reprogramming stem cells to become insulin-producing cells similar to those in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. These cells are implanted into the body, where they migrate to the liver and begin performing their vital function.

The treatment is still in the experimental phase. The next clinical trial will include patients who have previously undergone kidney transplants and are already taking immunosuppressive drugs. If the therapy proves safe and effective in larger trials, it could receive official approval for public use as early as 2026.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the pancreas’s inability to produce insulin. Until now, daily injections of the hormone have been the only available treatment to manage blood sugar levels.