Pig cell transplantation to treat diabetes

In an experiment in Russia, pig pancreatic cells showed a potential to help diabetics produce insulin. One month after transplantation, a patient was no longer dependent on insulin injections.

Pig pancreas cells are promising in helping the body of type 1 diabetic patients to produce insulin.(Photo: Herald Sun)

In the Phase I / IIA clinical trial in Russia, Living Cell Technologies Ltd. Company. (LCT), based in Australia, has performed pig pancreatic cell transplantation - dubbed DiabeCell - for some type 1 diabetics and the results are initially considered encouraging .

After transplantation, a 40-year-old woman was able to gradually reduce the amount of insulin needed to inject, and a month later, she no longer had to inject insulin. That means the body has produced insulin. Meanwhile, the second patient, male, 26 years old, was able to control blood glucose levels and reduce about 40% of insulin needed to be injected daily.

LCT General Manager, Dr. Paul Tan, said that these two Russian patients had been transplanted with the same amount of pig pancreas cells on body weight, and that was the lowest implant dose, only 1 / 3 doses are defined in LCT's study. These cells are implanted in the abdomen by laparoscopic surgery.

These cells are surrounded by a layer of gel derived from marine algae. This coating allows nutrients to enter the cell, preventing the cells from being attacked by the immune system, and enabling cells to produce and release insulin.

According to LCT, since the DiabeCell implant so far, both patients have not undergone any important reactions and do not need to use anti-rejection medication. In the near future, these 2 patients will continue to be treated with the second dose of DiabeCell.

Professor Bob Elliot, LCT Medical Director and initiator of this therapy, said: 'These initial results have exceeded our expectations'.

Dr. Tan hopes to be licensed this week to expedite testing in New Zealand.(Photo: nzherald.co.nz)

To eliminate all risks to human health, in the ongoing trial, experts who used pigs belonging to the genus Gloucester Old Spot were completely healthy and specially isolated. Dr. Tan hopes this week will be licensed by New Zealand authorities to be able to accept applicants for testing in the country.

According to LCT, in subsequent trials in New Zealand, experts can use DiabeCell at doses 3 times the dose used for the above two patients.

Similar tests have not yet been conducted in Australia because the country has issued a five-year ban - since 2004 - for the transplantation of animal parts for humans, due to fears of animal diseases. can be transmitted to humans.

Vinh Tho
According to New Zealand Herald, Herald Sun, LCT, Vietnamnet