End of daily injections for type 1 diabetes as scientists restore insulin production

TELEGRAPH (UK) – The end of
daily injections for diabetes
sufferers could be in sight after
scientists showed it is possible to
restore insulin production for up
to a year by boosting the
immune system.

Hundreds of thousands of people
in Britain suffer from Type 1
diabetes and need to inject
themselves daily to keep blood
sugar levels under control.
The disease attacks insulin-
secreting cells in the pancreas.
Healthy people have billions of
'peacekeeping' cells called 'T-regs'
which protect insulin-making
cells from the immune system
but people suffering Type 1
diabetes do not have enough.

Now researchers at the
University of California and Yale
have shown that the 'T-regs' can
be removed from the body,
increased by 1,500x in the
laboratory and infused back into
the bloodstream to restore
normal function.
An initial trial of 14 people has
shown that the therapy is safe,
and can last up to a year.