Novel Coated Islets for Diabetes Treatment

A research collaboration has been formed to conduct animal experiments designed to demonstrate that islets of Langerhans protected by a polymer coating can function for extended periods without immune suppression, thereby providing a new treatment that could restore diabetics to normal health.

The collaboration involves Islet Sheet Medical, LLC (San Francisco, CA, USA) and scientists at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada), a leading islet transplantation research center. Last year, the center reported clinical success in reversing diabetes in patients, using a method called the Edmonton Protocol. Dr. James Shapiro is director of the clinical islet transplant program at the University of Alberta, while Dr. Jonathan Lakey is director of the Human Islet Laboratory at the university.

The Islet Sheet contains islets of Langerhans protected by a polymer coating that eliminates the need for immune-suppressing drugs used in the Edmonton Protocol. The Islet Sheet can be retrieved at any time, providing a measure of safety unavailable with other methods.

"If the Islet Sheet concept works without significant risk to patients, this could be an incredible advance for islet transplant,” said Dr. Shapiro. "Transplant without drugs is the goal of all of us, the dream being to transplant earlier in the course of diabetes, including children one day, to more effectively prevent secondary complications without the risks of immunosuppression.”



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