Encapsulated porcine cell transplant

[Subby]

Very interesting news.

DIABECELL®, LCT’s encapsulated porcine cells that produce insulin, was implanted by a laparoscopic procedure into the abdomen of a 47 year old man who has had type 1 diabetes for 20 years.
...

DIABECELL® is designed to normalize blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes sufferers. DIABECELL® comprises encapsulated porcine insulin-producing cells which can be administered without the need to use immunosuppressive drugs.

Read on here... Scoop: First Pig Cell Implant for Diabetes in NZ (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0910/S00016.htm)

[ant hill]

WOW Subby, This is a sensation. And without immune suppression drugs!!! as that is huge!!! :D:D:D

[strack350]

that is refreshing news for sure:D Too bad you have to be "uncontrolled" to qualify to recieve that experimental implant, guess it does not pay to ge "in control":eek:

[Rddoms]

Cerco Medical (http://www.isletmedical.com/)

This company is working on a similar product, but the cells are in a sheet (meaning that it could be removed/replaced if it stops functioning).

[Grunch]

This looks very good but I couldn't find any estimate for when it could be available for everyone. It's so frustrating that these things take like 10 years to finally get to the market.

[Subby]

Still clinical trials, I'm afraid. Still some years before wider availability... if it doesn't dry up before then (is it seems, many promising ideas do).

Still, these procedures sound very promising to me.

[DanG]

It's so frustrating that these things take like 10 years to finally get to the market.

I wonder how long it took in 1920 to produce the first insulin that was produced. The history I have read here, as I recall, says that there was a real demand for insulin - and I think the demand was met quite well - but I don't know. Somehow, something is wrong when it takes forever to produce a trial, much less to bring a new product to market. Perhaps some of that time and cost is a function of our right to sue the manufacturer or doctor, so the producer becomes very very careful about the processes and procedures in bringing a product to market. I wish it was different. Something on the order of volunteering to be a guinea pig and then leaving well enough alone if things don't work out. I mean, the outcome is death either way. Death by untreated disease, or death by treatment gone awry. Somehow the gamble of death by treatment gone awry should be available to more of us - but, then... I like pipe dreams.