Scientists defeat diabetes with the help of stem cells
29 June 2025 22:12
An international team of scientists from the United States and Canada has made a breakthrough in the treatment of type 1 diabetes using stem cells. In 83% of participants in the experimental therapy, there was no need for daily insulin injections within a year after the procedure.
The results of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The team used laboratory-grown pancreatic cells that were injected into patients through the hepatic vein. This approach proved to be significantly more effective than traditional treatments.
All study participants who had previously suffered from acute attacks of hypoglycemia completely got rid of this problem after transplantation.
However, the treatment has serious limitations. Patients require lifelong immunosuppressant medication, which increases the risk of infections and cancer. During the trials, two participants died, although their deaths were not directly related to the therapy.
The method is superior to the traditional transplantation of donor pancreatic islets, as it depends on the availability of the prosecuting authorities and uses standardized cells. Scientists are currently working on a version of the therapy that does not require immune suppression.
