Living Cell Technologies Ltd today announced it has lodged an application with the New Zealand regulator MedSafe to conduct a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of its type 1 diabetes cell therapy product DiabeCell.
DiabeCell is a porcine pancreatic cell product for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. The neo-natal pig cells produce insulin and help regulate blood glucose levels appropriate to the amount of glucose detected in the blood stream of the diabetic recipient.
LCT’s Technology:
LCT’s technology platform involves the implantation of healthy living cells to replace, repair, or regenerate diseased or damaged organs.
LCT’s products are based on living cells that are neither synthetically produced nor manufactured by genetic manipulation.
The living cells are covered in a seaweed-derived coating (alginate encapsulation) to form capsules which isolate the transplanted cells from the patient’s immune system but allows the free passage of small nutrient molecules, oxygen and cell products. This eliminates the need for toxic immunosuppressant drugs.
The cell capsules are transplanted into the patient for the release of beneficial hormones/insulin/clotting factor.
