An experimental diabetes treatment has helped a Chicago woman with Type 1 diabetes go off insulin. The treatment involves an islet cell transplant procedure and an innovative anti-rejection drug called tegoprubart, which has fewer side effects than traditional anti-rejection drugs. After the procedure, the woman was able to stop taking insulin completely, though she will need to continue taking the anti-rejection medication. Doctors consider this a “functional cure” for diabetes, as it allows the patient to stop using insulin, but it is not a complete cure as there is still a chance of the diabetes recurring. The doctors at the University of Chicago, who are conducting this trial, see it as a major milestone in the development of a potential cure for diabetes.
