Stem Cell Therapy Cures 10 of 12 Severe Diabetes Patients

A groundbreaking stem cell therapy called zimislecel, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, has shown promising results in treating severe Type 1 diabetes by enabling most patients to discontinue daily insulin injections. This treatment involves infusing laboratory-grown pancreatic islet cells into the liver, where they regulate blood sugar effectively, preventing dangerous hypoglycemic episodes. In a recent clinical trial, 10 out of 12 patients were insulin-free within a year, with hypoglycemic unawareness resolved in all participants. The findings, presented at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, have been hailed as 'trailblazing' and 'life-changing' by experts, though patients currently must take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection of the transplanted cells. Side effects reported include neutropenia and two deaths related to fungal meningitis and preexisting conditions, highlighting the need for further study. Overall, this treatment represents a significant advancement in diabetes management, potentially freeing millions from the burdens of daily insulin therapy.