Vertex Pharma's breakthrough in Type-1 diabetes treatment
Vertex's new stem cell treatment, Zimislecel, helped 83% of people with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) ditch insulin injections within a year.
Announced at a major diabetes conference, this therapy actually restores the body's own insulin production instead of just managing symptoms.
How the new treatment works
Zimislecel uses lab-grown beta cells—basically, replacement cells for the ones that stop working in T1D.
In a recent trial with 12 people, 83% started making their own insulin again and kept blood sugar levels steady (HbA1c under 7%).
People spent more than 70% of their day in a healthy glucose range, severe low blood sugar episodes disappeared after three months, and most barely needed any extra insulin.
Could change millions of lives
Because Zimislecel is made in the lab (not from donors), it can be produced for lots of people.
Bigger trials are coming soon, and Vertex hopes to get approval soon.
If all goes well, this could mean no more daily injections or constant monitoring for many with T1D—and they're even testing it for Type 2 Diabetes too.