Investing in the Mass Marketing of Diabetes Reversal, Part Two
By: James Finch | Posted: 15th November 2006
University of Minnesota Reverses Diabetes in Monkeys
How are researchers remedying the supply shortage? Recent research demonstrates top scientists have turned to xenotransplantation to increase the number of islet cell donors. Another milestone took place at the University of Minnesota this past February when researchers at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation islet transplant centers reversed diabetes in monkeys by transplanting islet cells from pigs.
Researchers said pig organs are similar to those of humans. Pancreatic organs from pigs are more readily available to help save the life of a Type 1 diabetic. More than 60 million pigs were traded on the Chicago pork belly market last year, offering an abundance of pig islet cells for a much larger number of diabetic transplant surgeries.
The novelty of the Minnesota research included a cocktail of immunosuppressive drugs which prevented the body's immune system from rejecting the cross-species transplant of the pig's islet cells. In the control group monkeys, which were not given immunosuppressive drugs, rejected the pig islets after a few days.
While the drug mixture helped the lab monkeys survive much longer ? a median of more than 140 days, the side effects of those drugs eventually caused their demise. Human subjects may demand a longer survival level after a transplant surgery.
We talked to Dr. David White, Novartis/Stiller Professor of Xenotransplantation at the University of Western Ontario, about the problem of organ rejection and the use of immunosuppressive drugs. ?When it comes to animal-to human transplants, the amount of immunosuppressive drugs that you have to give to stop this rejection is dangerous to the patient,? the renowned immunologist told us. ?We've been looking for a way to transplant these islets without having to give these dangerous drugs.?
While at Cambridge University in the 1970s, Dr. White helped research and develop the immunosuppressive drug Cyclosporin A in conjunction with Professor Sir Roy Calne. The drug minimized the risk of organ rejection after transplantation, allowing new developments in transplantation procedures.
Dr. White believes his current research may lead to a technique for performing the islet cell transplants without the use of immunosuppressive drugs.
James Finch contributes to StockInterview and other publications. For a complete list of his archived articles, please visit http://www.stockinterview.com
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James Finch is a contributing editor for StockInterview.com and other publications. http://www.stockinterview.com
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