In a groundbreaking medical achievement, Chinese scholars claim to have cured type 2 diabetes for the first time. diabetes.co.uk I will report.
This groundbreaking achievement was achieved through a pioneering cell transplant procedure performed on a 59-year-old man in 2021.
Since undergoing life-changing treatment, he has been medication-free for 33 months.
The treatment involves developing artificial cells that mimic the pancreatic cells responsible for producing insulin and regulating blood sugar levels. After battling diabetes for 25 years, the patient had lost most of his insulin-producing cells, called islets, and required multiple daily insulin injections to avoid the risk of going into a diabetic coma.
Researchers say type 2 diabetes can go into remission, but this is the first time it has been cured.
The team tested a cocktail of new chemicals that transformed stem cells into a variety of tissues, including pancreatic cells. These lab-grown cells enabled the man to produce insulin autonomously again, significantly improving his condition.
Also read: Game changer for diabetics? Chinese study finds early insulin administration improves type 2 diabetes control
Renowned expert Professor Timothy Keefer, who was not involved in the research, praised the findings, saying: “This is an important advance in the field of cell therapy for diabetes. The study will need to be expanded after testing in larger numbers of patients.”
Despite the promising results, the process of converting stem cells into functional pancreatic cells remains complex, costly and time-consuming, and the researchers noted that type 1 diabetes patients may face greater challenges due to the possibility of immune system rejection of the transplanted cells.
Dr. Yin Hao, lead author of the study, expressed optimism about the technology’s potential, saying, “Our technology has matured and pushed the boundaries in the field of regenerative medicine for the treatment of diabetes.”
Professor Kiefer agreed, concluding that “this treatment has the potential to free people from the burden of chronic medication, improve health and quality of life, and reduce healthcare costs.”
