No more insulin injections for diabetes patients? UAE doctors explain cell-based treatment
Many diabetic patients abroad have said goodbye to insulin injections or now use them less frequently and in lower doses, according to doctors who noted patients recovered after undergoing a simple surgical procedure to transplant pancreatic cells.
"50 per cent of patients with Type 1 diabetes — who typically rely on insulin injections — have been cured through 'islet cell transplantation'," Dr Tahra Abdalla Al Ali, a pediatrician based in the UAE, told Khaleej Times.
"This has cured people of their pancreas's inability to produce insulin. Patients will no longer depend on insulin as they look forward to a future without constant insulin management.'
Dr Al Ali noted, 'In 25 cases, pancreatic cells were transplanted; and the success rate for this group was 85 per cent. Of the patients, 50 per cent completely stopped using medication. The remaining group members use injections at lower doses and less frequently.'
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This treatment, which aims to benefit all patient groups, initially targeted individuals over the age of 20 who suffered from complications of diabetes and had difficulty maintaining healthy levels for an extended period.
Procedure explained
Dr Al Ali said islet cell transplantation involves transplanting pancreatic cells extracted from donors and studying them in specialised laboratories. Once the safety of these samples is confirmed, they are injected into the patient using a catheter-like method through the skin into a vein and then transplanted onto the liver.
'The transplanted cells help restore and regulate blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 diabetes, preventing severe, life-threatening hypoglycemia episodes and allowing patients to eliminate their daily insulin injections,' she added.
Simple and safe
The procedure is considered an alternative to the complete pancreas transplant to avoid surgical complications, including organ rejection and bleeding. It is regarded as a safe and simple treatment method.
The Emirates Health Services (EHS), in collaboration with the University of Chicago, is working to treat patients from the UAE either abroad or by bringing experts to the country to provide care.
Only for Type 1 diabetes
The procedure is used exclusively for patients with Type 1 diabetes, where the main issue is the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells, Dr Patanjali Panduranga, endocrinologist at Aster Hospital, explained. It is not considered a treatment for Type 2 diabetes, where insulin resistance is the primary problem. However, some early studies are exploring its use in selected cases of insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, although this remains under investigation.
He noted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved islet cell transplantation in 2023 for adults with Type 1 diabetes who experienced severe hypoglycemia or poor glucose control despite intensive insulin therapy.
Limitations remain
'Although the procedure has shown promising results, including insulin independence in up to 50 per cent of recipients, its broader clinical use remains limited due to the need for lifelong immunosuppression and the scarcity of suitable donor cells,' said Dr Panduranga.
Dr Arvind Gaddameedi, another endocrinologist at Aster Clinic, explained that the success of islet cell transplantation depends on two key factors, safety and sustainability. Unlike full organ transplants, this procedure involves a 30-minute infusion under local anesthesia, making it accessible even to high-risk patients. However, challenges remain.
One of the challenges is the availability of donor cells. While organ donation rates vary globally, innovations in islet cell processing, cryopreservation, and even stem cell-derived islets, currently under trial, may soon expand accessibility.
'These developments represent a new dawn in diabetes care. While not yet a first-line treatment, islet cell transplantation is a vital option for patients struggling with the demands of insulin therapy. As research progresses, improvements in immunosuppression, donor matching, and cell supply are expected to make this treatment more widely available.'
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