Let me know what you think?
I think… wow that would be amazing. I just hope it isn’t too far off.
This approach came to my knowledge more than 5 years ago. It is one of those devices that is ready in 10 diabetic years. A diabetic year can be pretty long. This is truely the longest running gag in the history of diabetes management.
Please do not get me wrong here: I appreciate this research, its donators and the effords in general. But there are questions:
Where are the cells coming from? Stem cells? Are stem cells that have been manipulated and specialized to Beta cells safe? Is the encapsulation a valid answer for these justified safety concerns? What about immune reactions? Can inflammatory processes cause an encapsulation of the capsule with body tissue? Will this tissue cause absorbtion problems? How long will the lab research take to find reliable answers?
One of many artificial Pancreas research that can be added to the pile. Considering the money it takes for all these studies you would think by now someone who come up with something close.
It sounds really complex. Basically a smart chip for T1Ds where a robotic micro piece would work as the pancreas- not taking into account our real “dead” pancreas. The smart chip wouldn’t allow T cells to destroy it, but I’m wondering if it would have issues with our bodies rejecting the chip? I understand that it converts sugar with artificial insulin cells, but… do the cells “run out of insulin”? Would we have to take anti-rejection pills to make sure the chip doesn’t get attacked by our bodies? Where would it get implanted? Does it matter if it’s in the skin, under the skin, inside the stomach lining (haha) or what?
Great idea, but I’m wicked skeptical.
Thanks for sharing!
Take a sec to check out Dr Faustman’s research idea. I posted a discussion for her on here too.
The cells inside the “artificial pancreas” would be live beta cells, therefore they would be nourished and sustained along with your regular body cells and would produce insulin indefinitely. Very promising. So is Dr. Faustman’s work.
yeah, the 2:52 one, right? Or was there a more detailed one?
ah, beta cells. that makes sense. maybe i’m just used to different terminology so it didnt make sense at first.
I watched it last week, it’s a very interesting concept and quite workable. I know people are frustrated by the slow advancement of therapies, but so many new therapies for T1 have cropped up just within the last 10 years. The targeted immunomodulators, encapsulated cells, beta cell regeneration, Induced pluripotent stem cells, Mesenchymal cells. Most of these started human clinical trials just this decade and I think we’ve come a long way in a short time (after a long long long time of barely anything). Nanomedicine is still a relatively new concept, and I have a lot of hope for this (moreso than an artificial pancreas…which I would not trust considering current cgms technology)
Anyone heard updates on smart insulin? That sounded promising. Not a cure, but something that would make our lives easier.
I went to www.smartinsulin.com and found only this:
"SmartCells inc is developing SmartInsulin, a once-a-day, self-regulating, injectable formulation for treating diabetes. It is designed to provide several important advantages for diabetics:
-reduce the incidence of hypoglycemia
-require fewer injection and less glucose monitoring
-control both fasting and mealtime glucose levels with a single dose
SmartInsulin is currently in pre-clinical (non-human) testing.
Proof-of-concept studies, both in vitro and in vivo, have demonstrated safe control of blood glucose levels and rapid, reversible response to glucose challenges.
SmartInsulin makes use of a polymer-based dosing technology developed at MIT by SmartCells’ co-founder, Dr Todd C Zion.
This breakthrough makes it possible to auto-regulate the release of a therpeutic based on the plasma concentration of a molecular indicator.
September 25, 2009 – SmartCells, Inc. Awarded Phase II SBIR by NIH/NIDDK
SmartCells, Inc. received notice that it has been awarded $1,578,278 in first year funding for a Phase II SBIR grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant was awarded to support IND-enabling toxicology and safety pharmacology studies of SmartInsulin, the company’s glucose-regulated insulin formulation. The second year of the Phase II grant allocates $337,365 in additional funding.
Based out of Massachusetts and last updated in 2008.