The world's first! Stem cells achieve "functional cure" for type 1 diabetes, may insulin no longer be needed in the future?

Treating diabetes with your own cells has become a reality. Recently, Chinese scientists have carried out chemical reprogramming stem cell regeneration therapy, which has allowed a 25-year-old type 1 diabetes patient to be free from insulin within 3 months and achieve functional cure. Chinese scientists published the relevant results in the international authoritative journal "Cell", marking the world's first clinical success of chemical reprogramming stem cell regeneration therapy.

Hangzhou Ruipu Chenchuang Technology Co., Ltd. from Wuchang Street, Yuhang District, Hangzhou City participated in the research and development and preparation of the project. Meng Gaofan, the company's R&D director, said: "The major innovation of this new technology lies in the way to obtain pluripotent stem cells." In 2007, Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan introduced proteins that triggered gene expression to induce human cells into pluripotent stem cells, achieving cell reprogramming and winning the Nobel Prize in 2012. Compared with the Japanese scientists' plan, the Chinese plan is to use chemical small molecules to induce autologous cell reprogramming to obtain pluripotent stem cells. Meng Gaofan added: "Our technology does not require genetic modification, is closer to the natural regeneration process, and is safer and more controllable."

In this case, scientists extracted somatic cells from patients with type 1 diabetes and converted them into pluripotent stem cells, which can become "seed cells" of any cell in the body. Then, scientists directed the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into islet cells that can secrete insulin. After culturing them to a certain number in the laboratory, they were injected into the patient's body to reverse the patient's diabetes. When the patient needs insulin, the islet cells can provide enough insulin to control blood sugar. Because pluripotent stem cells can be cultured "infinitely" in the laboratory, patients with type 1 diabetes can obtain unlimited "biological" islet cells.

Schematic diagram of autologous chemically reprogrammed stem cell regenerative therapy

Wang Shusen, chief physician and researcher at the Transplant Center of Tianjin First Central Hospital, participated in the clinical trial. He said: "In clinic, diabetics control their blood sugar by injecting insulin, but blood sugar indexes are often like a roller coaster, and it is difficult to reach a stable state, which leads to many complications for patients. Regenerative therapy can control patients' blood sugar in an ideal stable state and reduce complications. This is a major breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes."

Diabetes is a major disease that threatens human health. According to the International Diabetes Federation, as of 2021, a total of 537 million adults in the world suffer from diabetes, and the number is expected to reach about 783 million by 2045. The "Guidelines on Nutrition and Exercise for Chronic Diseases such as Hypertension (2024 Edition)" issued by the National Health Commission in June 2024 pointed out that the prevalence of diabetes in adults in my country is about 11.9%.

"It is expected that related products will be officially launched in 2026, and by then they will benefit many diabetic patients," said Meng Gaofan. "This technological breakthrough is a milestone in the field of regenerative medicine. It is not only used to treat diabetes, but also has the opportunity to be applied to the treatment of tumors, blood, immune system and other diseases in the future. It can be said that it has opened up a new path for cell therapy."