Allogenic Islet Cell Transplantation

Allogenic islet cell transplantation is a cellular therapy investigated for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus, specifically for patients with brittle control and a history of severe hypoglycemic episodes or hypoglycemia unawareness. The procedure, led by Dr. Kenneth Brayman at the University of Virginia, involves the isolation of islets from a deceased donor pancreas and their subsequent infusion into the recipient's portal vein. Once the islets engraft in the liver, they function as a bio-artificial pancreas, sensing blood glucose levels and secreting insulin accordingly. This therapy aims to eliminate the need for exogenous insulin injections and prevent life-threatening hypoglycemic events by restoring physiological glucose homeostasis. The UVA program focuses on demonstrating that this procedure can safely and reliably achieve better glycemic control than state-of-the-art insulin treatment.

Other names

Allogeneic islet transplantationIslet cell transplantIslet transplantation