Chinese scientists have announced the successful treatment of a 59-year-old man suffering from type 2 diabetes.
In 2021, the patient underwent a form of cell therapy and has not required medication since, as reported.
“This marks a significant advancement in diabetes therapy,” commented Professor Timothy Kieffer of the University of British Columbia, who was not involved in the study.
The patient, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over 25 years ago, faced multiple complications, including a nearly non-functional pancreas after a kidney transplant in 2017. He relied on multiple daily insulin injections.
In Shanghai, researchers used the patient’s blood cells to generate stem cells, which were then converted into insulin-producing cells to regulate blood sugar.
These cells were transplanted into the patient in July 2021, and within 11 weeks, he no longer required insulin injections.
He gradually reduced other blood sugar control medications, and a year after the treatment, he ceased taking all medications.
“After the intervention, our tests showed the patient’s pancreatic function was effectively restored and kidney function returned to normal,” said Hao Yin of Changzheng Hospital in Shanghai.
He emphasized the treatment’s potential to halt diabetes-related complications.
Professor Kieffer noted this as the first application of stem cell therapy for type 2 diabetes and expressed hopes for extending this treatment to other diabetes patients.
