Cure for Type 1 diabetes imminent

[iHs]

I think Viacyte have devised a way of preventing rejection and will start clinical trials in a small number of people later this month. Will take ages though for this technology to be a success. I wonder what will come first.......artificial pancreas or stem cell therapy?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Arificial pancreas with my reckoning.

 

[JesusFoundations]

I actually recorded something re this:

 

[this is too difficult two]

If you can cure type1 diabetes you can cure anything? Type 2?

 

[JesusFoundations]

If you can cure type1 diabetes you can cure anything? Type 2?

Other auto-immune diseases will be easier to cure, yes.

 

[this is too difficult two]

Im not an expert but I don't think T2 is always auto immune.

 

[JesusFoundations]

Im not an expert but I don't think T2 is always auto immune.

Please consider that I vlog about type one, not type two.

I don't profess to be an expert either, far from it when it comes to type two. But as far as I'm aware, some sufferers of T2 have auto-immune difficulties, whereas others don't.

 

[phoenix]

Here's the NHS analysis of the headlines
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/10October/Pages/Cure-for-type-1-diabetes-within-reach.aspx

 

[lizdeluz]

Here's the NHS analysis of the headlines
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/10October/Pages/Cure-for-type-1-diabetes-within-reach.aspx

Thank you for posting the link.

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

For the first time I'm really hopeful this may be the start of a cure. The bigger issue is the companies that don't want to find a cure though. I have a friend whose husband is a world renowned geneticist working in haemophilia. He has cured 2 rare strains but nobody will fund the treatment because it's cheaper to leave the people with the condition. Everything is about money. He always asks for updates about diabetic stuff when he comes across relevant people and he has often said to me a lot of treatment is being buried because diabetes is so profitable.

The thing with the latest one is that the guy has a son with diabetes so won't let anything get buried or stopped

 

[ConradJ]

I hate to be the one who bursts the bubble of excitement, but this is NOT a cure. As soon as I heard the story on BBC Breakfast and then on Radio 4, it became obvious that it is a potentially life-enhancing treatment, but not the solution.

A cure will involve tackling the cause of our body's autoimmune reaction that led to our T1 in the first place; what this latest research does is open the door to mass producing islet cells so that insulin is produced within the body rather than injected or infused.

However, and as with current islet cell / pancreas transplants, how long these mass-produced islet cells will survive in a body with an immune system that has developed a distaste for islet cells is highly questionable.

That said, the potential to spend even two years at a time without the need for a mobile pharmacy is exciting - even if I will be about 60 by the time it's released to market.

 

[Diabetes99]

A rather compelling article following a breakthrough in the research by Harvard professor Doug Melton.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ent-after-Harvard-stem-cell-breakthrough.html

A cure for diabetes could be imminent after scientists discovered how to make huge quantities of insulin-producing cells, in a breakthrough hailed as significant as antibiotics.

Harvard University has, for the first time, managed to manufacture the millions of beta cells required for transplantation.

It could mean the end of daily insulin injections for the 400,000 people in Britain living with Type 1 diabetes.

And it marks the culmination of 23-years of research for Harvard professor Doug Melton who has been trying to find a cure for the disease since his son Sam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a baby.

“We are now just one pre-clinical step away from the finish line,” said Prof Melton.

Asked about his children’s reaction he said: "I think like all kids, they always assumed that if I said I'd do this, I'd do it,

"It was gratifying to know that we can do something that we always thought was possible.”

The stem cell-derived beta cells are presently undergoing trials in animal models, including non-human primates, where they are still producing insulin after several months, Prof Melton said.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin - the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels.

If the amount of glucose in the blood is too high it can seriously damage the body's organs over time.

While diabetics can keep their glucose levels under general control by injecting insulin, that does not provide the fine tuning necessary to properly control metabolism, which can lead to devastating complications such as blindness or loss of limbs.

Around 10 per cent of all diabetes is Type 1, but it is the most common type of childhood diabetes. 29,000 youngsters suffer in Britain.

The team at Harvard used embryonic stem cells to produce human insulin-producing cells equivalent in almost every way to normally functioning cells in vast quantities.

Chris Mason, Professor of Regenerative Medicine, University College London, said it was ‘potentially a major medical breakthrough.’

“If this scalable technology is proven to work in both the clinic and in the manufacturing facility, the impact on the treatment of diabetes will be a medical game-changer on a par with antibiotics and bacterial infections,” he said.

Professor Anthony Hollander, Head of Institute of Integrative Biology at the University of Liverpool, added:“This is very exciting fundamental research that solves a major roadblock in the development of a stem cell treatment for diabetes.

“The study provides a very elegant and convincing method for generating functional insulin-producing cells in large numbers.”

Professor Mark Dunne, at Manchester University, added: Overall this is an important advance for the field of diabetes and people with Type 1 diabetes.”

Professor Elaine Fuchs, of Rockefeller University, described the findings as "one of the most important advances to date in the stem cell field".

"For decades, researchers have tried to generate human pancreatic beta cells that could be cultured and passaged long term under conditions where they produce insulin.”

A report on the work is published in the journal Cell.

The next hurdle will be....so much vested interest by big Pharmaceutical companies in the current treatment plans ie insulin injections and tablets.....Will they let this breakthrough reach the diabetics....Will they not seek to buy the patents and just self the breakthrough?....The life long electric bulb which was invented years ago hasn't seen the light of day as yet(pardon the pun).....
Money talks and dictates what will be avaiable and what will not....

 

[jane1950]

A rather compelling article following a breakthrough in the research by Harvard professor Doug Melton.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ent-after-Harvard-stem-cell-breakthrough.html

A cure for diabetes could be imminent after scientists discovered how to make huge quantities of insulin-producing cells, in a breakthrough hailed as significant as antibiotics.

Harvard University has, for the first time, managed to manufacture the millions of beta cells required for transplantation.

It could mean the end of daily insulin injections for the 400,000 people in Britain living with Type 1 diabetes.

And it marks the culmination of 23-years of research for Harvard professor Doug Melton who has been trying to find a cure for the disease since his son Sam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a baby.

“We are now just one pre-clinical step away from the finish line,” said Prof Melton.

Asked about his children’s reaction he said: "I think like all kids, they always assumed that if I said I'd do this, I'd do it,

"It was gratifying to know that we can do something that we always thought was possible.”

The stem cell-derived beta cells are presently undergoing trials in animal models, including non-human primates, where they are still producing insulin after several months, Prof Melton said.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin - the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels.

If the amount of glucose in the blood is too high it can seriously damage the body's organs over time.

While diabetics can keep their glucose levels under general control by injecting insulin, that does not provide the fine tuning necessary to properly control metabolism, which can lead to devastating complications such as blindness or loss of limbs.

Around 10 per cent of all diabetes is Type 1, but it is the most common type of childhood diabetes. 29,000 youngsters suffer in Britain.

The team at Harvard used embryonic stem cells to produce human insulin-producing cells equivalent in almost every way to normally functioning cells in vast quantities.

Chris Mason, Professor of Regenerative Medicine, University College London, said it was ‘potentially a major medical breakthrough.’

“If this scalable technology is proven to work in both the clinic and in the manufacturing facility, the impact on the treatment of diabetes will be a medical game-changer on a par with antibiotics and bacterial infections,” he said.

Professor Anthony Hollander, Head of Institute of Integrative Biology at the University of Liverpool, added:“This is very exciting fundamental research that solves a major roadblock in the development of a stem cell treatment for diabetes.

“The study provides a very elegant and convincing method for generating functional insulin-producing cells in large numbers.”

Professor Mark Dunne, at Manchester University, added: Overall this is an important advance for the field of diabetes and people with Type 1 diabetes.”

Professor Elaine Fuchs, of Rockefeller University, described the findings as "one of the most important advances to date in the stem cell field".

"For decades, researchers have tried to generate human pancreatic beta cells that could be cultured and passaged long term under conditions where they produce insulin.”

A report on the work is published in the journal Cell.

 

[jane1950]

A rather compelling article following a breakthrough in the research by Harvard professor Doug Melton.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ent-after-Harvard-stem-cell-breakthrough.html

A cure for diabetes could be imminent after scientists discovered how to make huge quantities of insulin-producing cells, in a breakthrough hailed as significant as antibiotics.

Harvard University has, for the first time, managed to manufacture the millions of beta cells required for transplantation.

It could mean the end of daily insulin injections for the 400,000 people in Britain living with Type 1 diabetes.

And it marks the culmination of 23-years of research for Harvard professor Doug Melton who has been trying to find a cure for the disease since his son Sam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a baby.

“We are now just one pre-clinical step away from the finish line,” said Prof Melton.

Asked about his children’s reaction he said: "I think like all kids, they always assumed that if I said I'd do this, I'd do it,

"It was gratifying to know that we can do something that we always thought was possible.”

The stem cell-derived beta cells are presently undergoing trials in animal models, including non-human primates, where they are still producing insulin after several months, Prof Melton said.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin - the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels.

If the amount of glucose in the blood is too high it can seriously damage the body's organs over time.

While diabetics can keep their glucose levels under general control by injecting insulin, that does not provide the fine tuning necessary to properly control metabolism, which can lead to devastating complications such as blindness or loss of limbs.

Around 10 per cent of all diabetes is Type 1, but it is the most common type of childhood diabetes. 29,000 youngsters suffer in Britain.

The team at Harvard used embryonic stem cells to produce human insulin-producing cells equivalent in almost every way to normally functioning cells in vast quantities.

Chris Mason, Professor of Regenerative Medicine, University College London, said it was ‘potentially a major medical breakthrough.’

“If this scalable technology is proven to work in both the clinic and in the manufacturing facility, the impact on the treatment of diabetes will be a medical game-changer on a par with antibiotics and bacterial infections,” he said.

Professor Anthony Hollander, Head of Institute of Integrative Biology at the University of Liverpool, added:“This is very exciting fundamental research that solves a major roadblock in the development of a stem cell treatment for diabetes.

“The study provides a very elegant and convincing method for generating functional insulin-producing cells in large numbers.”

Professor Mark Dunne, at Manchester University, added: Overall this is an important advance for the field of diabetes and people with Type 1 diabetes.”

Professor Elaine Fuchs, of Rockefeller University, described the findings as "one of the most important advances to date in the stem cell field".

"For decades, researchers have tried to generate human pancreatic beta cells that could be cultured and passaged long term under conditions where they produce insulin.”

A report on the work is published in the journal Cell.[/QUOTE

if this worked, how would the cells be put into the diabetic, would it mean an operation, or would they be put in via an injection through a tube

 

[elaine77]

I think this could make a massive difference to some autoimmune sufferers and some more than others too. For example, I don't have any anti islet cell antibodies, I am IA2 auto antibody negative, it is the GAD antibodies I have that have caused my diabetes and so maybe for people who have LADA this might be more groundbreaking than those who have full blown type 1 from childhood? Maybe my immune system won't attack these cells as I don't have the IA2 antibodies? It obviously needs a lot more trialling but at least it's a start though and that's a good thing.... I can't see them finding a way to control the immune system itself any time soon though otherwise all autoimmune diseases would be getting excited about this lol.

 

[milind]

external beta cell not suit to our body need medicine which is hazards our body. what research on that is it safe ?

 

[milind]

plz say any rearch on rejection of beta cell , medicines hazards body. is it safe transfer of beta cell

 

[furrolly]

Guess this is great news for many.
I had my pancreas removed so not much use to me.
On another note Abbot have a new meter out called libre which would stop me using 15 or more lancets and test strips a day at a monthly cost to NHS of £100 or more but if I want it it will cost me £50 to save NHS money. How is this right when I get all other scripts free

 

[yingtong]

I've seen so many possibilities of a cure that have died in the past,I don't build up my hopes,but I am sure that in the future a cure will be found,at least,I hope so.

 

[zoerice40]

[QUOTE"Dillinger, post: 650034, member: 13582"]There is almost a truth in diabetic treatment breakthroughs that the major ones are always 10 years away. This, whilst exciting, seems to be as ever 10 years away.

That's not so bad; cold fusion is always 20 years away...

Best

Dillinger[/QUOTE]
There I