A safer stem-cell treatment to replace insulin-producing pancreatic cells for diabetes
Official title: Development of a safer stem cell-based diabetes therapy via suicide gene-mediated ablation of proliferative cells
Funded at Regenerative Medical Solutions, INC. · NIH-11184143 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to create a stem-cell-derived therapy that restores insulin-producing cells for people with diabetes while adding a built-in safety switch to remove dangerous dividing cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Regenerative Medical Solutions, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $915,136 |
| NIH project number | 2R44DK133008-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184143 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with insulin-dependent diabetes (especially type 1 diabetes) who have poor glucose control or severe hypoglycemia despite current treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People with non–insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, those unable to receive cell-based therapies, or those who cannot take the antiviral drug ganciclovir may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This effort is developing islet-like clusters made from engineered human induced pluripotent stem cells to replace the insulin-producing cells you’ve lost. The cells are modified to help them hide from the immune system so they won’t require lifelong immunosuppressive drugs. They also carry a FailSafe suicide-gene that lets doctors eliminate any dividing cells by giving the approved drug ganciclovir to reduce tumor risk. The goal is to manufacture these cells in larger amounts so more patients could receive an off-the-shelf transplant without chronic immune suppression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could restore normal blood sugar control for people with diabetes without the need for lifelong immunosuppression and lower the risk of graft-related tumors.
How similar studies have gone: Donor pancreas and islet transplants have restored normal blood sugar in some patients and stem-cell-derived islets show promising preclinical results, but using a suicide-gene safety switch in humans is a newer, less-tested idea.
Where this research is happening
-
Regenerative Medical Solutions, INC.
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Dena E — Regenerative Medical Solutions, INC.
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Dena E
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.