A new approach to regenerating insulin production in people with type 1 diabetes is gaining steam in California. An alternative to the often-discussed technological improvements leading to a closed loop insulin delivery system, the insulin-producing cell implants are a biological solution to the issue of non-insulin producing pancreases (a challenge we know as type 1 diabetes).
NPR reports that San Francisco, California-based biotechnology startup Encellin is steadily approaching readiness for human clinical trials. Founder and CEO Crystal Nyitray sees cells as “the original smart machine,” something that has motivated her work in this field to take the form of improving cell function and protection, versus technology that plays a role outside of the body.
Although she was initially discouraged from pursuing her idea for developing a protective home for insulin-producing cells by her grad school adviser, UCSF professor of bioengineering Tejal Desai, they found that Nyitray’s device and approach showed results of increased insulin production and cell life–signs that this project was viable enough to move forward with their work at Encellin.
Nyitray and her colleagues have put together a system that would encase live islet cells from the pancreas in a flexible membrane which would be implanted under the skin. The coin-sized semipermeable pouch is designed to allow insulin and blood glucose to flow freely in and out of the implant, while preventing immune rejection.
Rejection is a primary concern when discussing any type of implant or transplantation of a foreign object in the body. Transplantation of islet cells (cells that create insulin in the pancreas) has taken place in clinical trials for several years, with some accomplishment. However, the immune system places a challenge on the success of these transplants, necessitating anti-rejection treatments and an eventual need to resume insulin injections. Nyitray’s semipermeable pouch would protect the islet cells from immune destruction as well as protect the recipient from needing powerful anti-rejection medications to maintain the implant safely.
While Encellin has not yet proceeded to human trials, their approach has been proven successful in animals at this point. Their next goal is to prove the treatment’s effectiveness in humans via clinical trials in the next couple of years.
This type of work falls under the category of beta cell replacement, an area that JDRF has emphasized and supported as one promising area of research, with many labs researching this avenue of treatment. San Diego-based company ViaCyte has already moved forward with clinical trials with their proprietary system for encapsulation.
Similar to what we have already begun to see in the closed-loop race, it may take many years of financial investment and research, but there are multiple groups looking to be the safest and most efficient solution in encapsulating islet cells for the creation of insulin in people living with type 1 diabetes.
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Image Credit: Encellin
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