Vertex Type 1 Clinical Study is in recruitment right now.
Key innovation: this therapy does not require immunosuppressive drugs.
Clearly not a cure, IMO it’s just a much better insulin pump!
The VX22-264-101 Study is looking for individuals living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to participate in a study of an investigational cell-based therapy called VX-264. VX-264 consists of cells designed to produce insulin contained within devices designed to protect the cells from the immune system. These investigational devices are implanted in the space behind the muscles of the abdominal wall. Researchers are studying the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of VX-264 in adults with T1D and are looking to see if it could potentially reduce or eliminate the need for individuals with T1D to take insulin.
Thanks for posting this link. I saw another one and was going to sign up, but was 3 years too old to qualify. This site took my info anyway! Seems they don’t like older folks for studies as we might be more susceptible to problems or die during the period, would that it wasn’t so, I’d like to contribute…
I wrote to Vertex, they scheduled an interview with me on Monday December 4. I can’t believe I’m nervous. You’d think after all these years nothing could scare me!
If this works as hoped, I will absolutely consider it a cure (after 50 years as a T1D). I wish I lived near one of the testing sites, as I’d enroll. Thanks to all who do enroll !!!
Had a very long discussion with my brother (he’s a doctor) I think it’s going to be slower than a real cure, probably missing the curve on high glycemic foods but I think it’ll be okay for mixed and low glycemic meals and I think since it’s making actual human insulin it’ll work the same way as the old cells worked and keep you from going low. Anyway I think I’m the wrong blood type but I’ll report back.
The “good news” @Joe, is that you received the blood type disqualification soon after you began investigating entering the trial. Two years ago in another Vertex cell implant experiment it took much longer for my disqualification and that was after I had given access for one year to all my Dexcom data and charts. My disqualification was age, which was known from the beginning and accepted, coupled with “an unspoken” that my HbA1c was consistently 3+% too low - the implant wouldn’t show “significant improvement in A1c”.