DiabeCell has successfully been transplanted into the first type I diabetes patient. This trial is testing its efficacy and safety in controlling the dangerous blood glucose levels to prevent long-term secondary complications of type I diabetes.

Living Cell Technologies has announced the successful transplant into the first of six type I (insulin dependent) diabetic patients in a world-first human clinical trial using DiabeCell. Patients in the trial will receive two low doses of the pig islet cells every six months over a 12 month period, followed by a further 12 month study, evaluating the benefits. Recipients in this first trial are given the lowest clinically effective dose to demonstrate safety. The dosing is repeated for additional clinical benefit. The company hopes to commercialize the product for general use by 2012.

DiabeCell is a pig pancreatic islet cell product that secretes insulin in response to the patient's blood glucose levels. People with type I diabetes are not able to produce their own insulin because their pancreas cells are not functioning. DiabeCell has been uniquely developed with a gel that forms a tiny capsule around the cells. This prevents the patient's immune system from destroying the transplant and does not require immunosuppressive drugs. Think of DiabeCell as bubble wrap for islets -- cool, right?

Living Cell Technologies has been given the go ahead to conduct clinical trials of its DiabeCell diabetes product in New Zealand.

DiabeCell is a porcine islet cell product for the treatment of insulin- dependent diabetes. The pig cells are injected into the body without any immunosuppressant drugs. The cells produce insulin to help regulate blood glucose levels appropriate to the amount of glucose detected in the blood stream of the diabetic recipient.

The Medical Director of Living Cell Technologies explains that DiabeCell offers considerable advantages over other available treatments in addition to the fact there is no need for immuno-suppressive drugs. Anther problem of islet transplants is the strain on the supply of islets. This is not a problem with the DiabeCell because their supply of cells derive from natural biocertified pig herds, unlike human organ donors.

LCT's application is to conduct the clinical trial of its DiabeCell product on 8 long standing Type 1 diabetics. The clinical trial is expected to be approximately 12 months in duration. This will then be followed by a trial on a larger scale. The trial will be conducted at a New Zealand hospital and involves the simple injection of encapsulated islets into the abdomen of the diabetic patients. It is anticipated that the trial would start by the end of 2007.