In a groundbreaking medical achievement, a 25-year-old woman with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in China has successfully undergone stem-cell therapy, allowing her to produce her own insulin. The treatment involved stem-cell-derived islet cells created from her own fat cells, which were injected into her abdomen. Since the procedure, she has been insulin-free for over a year.
Conducted at Tianjin First Central Hospital, the trial transformed the woman’s fat cells into pluripotent stem cells, which then developed into insulin-producing islet cells. These cells successfully engrafted, enabling her to maintain healthy blood glucose levels without insulin injections. Researchers have reported significant improvements in her long-term glucose levels, with HbA1c showing sustained non-diabetic levels.
This is the first known case where a T1D patient has maintained insulin production for an extended period, drawing global attention.
