Ten of twelve: the islet-cell therapy letting type 1 diabetics ditch insulin

At the inaugural Breakthrough T1D Clinical & Research Congress in Philadelphia this week, researchers shared an update on zimislecel, Vertex’s manufactured islet-cell therapy: all 12 trial participants have better blood-sugar control with no severe low-blood-sugar events — and 10 of the 12 no longer need external insulin. Participants also report far less daily fear around the disease. Islet transplants once required a donor pancreas and lifelong immune-suppressing drugs; manufactured cells could change the arithmetic entirely.