Modified Pig Pancreas Cells Reverse
Diabetes
Genetic engineering has improved the survival
rate of diabetic monkeys that receive pig pancreas
cells.
The data was presented by the University of Minnesota's
Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation.
and Immerge BioTherapeutics on June 3 at the American
Transplant Congress.
.
The study involved the transplantation of islet
cells purified from genetically modified pigs
into the pancreas of diabetic cynomolgus monkeys.
"In this swine, we have been able to 'knock-out'
the gene that is irresponsible for beginning the
immediate and overwhelming rejection process that
happens in transplants between species,"
says Julia Greenstein, CEO and President of Immerge
BioTherapeutics.
Immediately after the transplant, the monkeys
achieved normal glucose levels and no longer required
insulin injections. They were treated with an
immunosuppressive cocktail and didn't require
injections for up to 70 days.
"This data is very significant because while
we have been able to reverse diabetes in past
islet studies, we had only seen two to three week
survival times before the graft was lost due to
the overwhelming rejection response," says
Bernhard Hering of the Diabetes Institute for
Immunology and Transplantation at the University
of Minnesota.
In addition, there was no evidence of antibody-mediated
rejection, which is common in transplantations
involving solid organs such as kidneys and hearts.
And Greenstein says that research by Immerge
BioTherapeutics has found that cells from the
modified pigs are also unable to spread pig retroviruses
to human cells in culture.
The findings could benefit a small subset of
diabetics, known as "brittle" diabetics,
who suffer from a condition that is defined by
the overreaction of blood glucose levels from
minute changes in diet, exercise and insulin.
Researchers are also now looking at the potential
of both islet and sold organ xenotransplants from
the modified pigs.
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