Treating Diabetes with Cellular Therapy

Diabetes has been one of the most challenging diseases in the United States, ranked seventh in claiming human life. Diabetes, a condition over which body fails to produce insulin or use it appropriately, has been a challenge to many patients. It is usually managed through the injection of insulin as there used not to be any treatment available. However, thanks to medical research, cellular therapy has proved that the disease is treatable. There is new hope for diabetic patients as transplant of beta cells from donors’ pancreas has shown a reduction of over 90% of insulin injection. 

The Concept of Cellular Therapy

Cellular therapy is transplanting new human cells into a patient’s body to treat the disease or reduce its severity. Cellular therapy has been in practice through blood transfusion, transplant of bone marrows, and cytotherapy for nerve tissues. With modern science, cells are targeted or coaxed to perform better in the patient’s damaged cells to bring them back to normal function or positively avert the cell behavior. More on cellular therapy is being studied, and better solutions are underway.

How Does Cellular Therapy Work for Diabetes?

Eventually, more studies in different medical research centers have come to a similar conclusion on how cellular therapy treats diabetes. According to a study by Vertex, the injection of beta cells into the patient’s pancreas replaces the damaged cells. With over 90% improvement, a patient who was using 34 units of insulin per day reduced the units to 3. This has shown the replacement of the damaged beta cells in the patient’s pancreas. However, the islet cells transplant is dependent on the donated pancreatic cells and this has been the main challenge as they are short in supply. The study to grow beta cells in the laboratory was performed by Vertex naming it VX-880, over which a patient was injected with beta cells in the vein of the pancreas. After three months, the patient was able to make his own insulin supply, with his HbA1c dropping from 8.6% to 7.2%. Through injection of the beta cells, cellular therapy functions by preventing the body from resisting the produced insulin.

How Safe is Cellular Therapy?

Cellular therapy is very safe as there is a prior study of cell compatibility from donor cells to patient cells. Every possible challenge for the development of tumors is the biggest challenge, but it has been taken care of through studies, and the patients need not worry. 

The Bottom Line

Cellular therapy is used to treat diabetes with more emphasis on type 1 diabetes through the transplant of the beta cells to the patients’ pancreas. Diabetic patients can now live longer without dependency on the insulin injection after being treated with cellular therapy. However, more study is undergoing to improve the functionality of cellular therapy in patients. BrioMD is a front-line cellular therapy provider giving services to diabetic patients and other cellular therapies for a better life to patients.

Want to Know More? Get in Touch with Us!

If you have challenges with your diabetic condition, contact BrioMD for more consultation by filling down the table below. We offer exceptional cellular therapy services and handle our patients with the highest standard of care possible. Reach us today for more information.