Chinese Doctors Cure Type 2 Diabete Using Patient's Own Stem Cells

hackingbear writes: Researchers at the Second Naval Medical University's Changzheng Hospital in Shanghai, China performed the world's first Type 2 diabetes (T2D) curing pancreatic cell transplantation with E-islet cells derived from the patient's own stem cells. These E-islets, generated from the patient's own non-tumorigenic human endoderm stem cells (EnSCs), were tested for quality and safety, showing no contamination or unwanted growths, and were found to function similarly to natural pancreatic cells from human donors. The patient received a transplant of these E-islets through an injection into the liver's portal vein. Following the transplant, the patient's blood sugar levels were closely monitored using various tests and devices. Notably, the insulin requirements were reduced gradually until complete withdrawal at the end of week 11, and the oral antidiabetic medications were tapered since week 44 and discontinued at weeks 48 (acarbose) and 56 (metformin). The first 27-month data revealed significant improvements in glycemic control, and provided the first evidence that stem cell-derived islet tissues can rescue islet function in late-stage T2D patients. The grafts were well tolerated with no tumor formation or severe graft-related adverse events. This approach also avoids complications related to immune rejection and provides a potentially safer alternative to using cells from donors. The success of this study suggests that stem cell-derived islet transplantation could be a promising treatment for diabetes, potentially eliminating the need for lifelong insulin injections and other diabetes medications. Future research will focus on refining this treatment for broader use and exploring its application in other types of diabetes. [Summarization by the submitter.]