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. 2025 Jul 26;17(7):106856.
doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v17.i7.106856.

First-ever stem cell therapy restores insulin independence in type 1 diabetes: A medical milestone

Dinesh Kumar  1 , Rajni Tanwar  2 , Vrinda Gupta  2
Affiliations

First-ever stem cell therapy restores insulin independence in type 1 diabetes: A medical milestone

Dinesh Kumar et al. World J Stem Cells. .

Abstract

Stem cell therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking treatment approach, particularly for type 1 diabetes, where the autoimmune destruction of beta cells necessitates regenerative strategies to restore insulin production. This article focuses on the recent medical milestone in which autologous stem cell therapy led to insulin independence in a type 1 diabetes patient. This article explores the role of stem cell therapy in reversing diabetes, focusing on the recent medical milestone in which stem cell therapy successfully reversed diabetes in a patient. Stem cells, particularly induced pluripotent stem cells, are used to regenerate pancreatic cells that produce insulin, thereby potentially eliminating the need for insulin injections. The study highlights both the promises and challenges of using stem cell therapy for diabetes including concerns about durability of the response, safety and long-term functionality of generated beta cells. Clinical trials and the ethical considerations of using stem cells are also discussed, along with future directions for stem cell-based diabetes therapies.

Keywords: Autoimmune disease; Clinical trials; Diabetes; Induced pluripotent stem cells; Insulin production; Pancreatic regeneration; Regenerative medicine; Stem cell therapy; Type 1 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.

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