Gene edited islet cell transplant cures type 1 diabetes in Sweden

A Sweden case shows a new way to treat type 1 diabetes using CRISPR edited cells, signaling potential but raising questions about cost and safety.

Gene edited islet cell transplant cures type 1 diabetes in Sweden

A 42 year old man from Sweden who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age five received an islet cell transplant that used cells engineered to resist rejection. The procedure involved injecting engineered islet cells into the forearm muscle. Within three months the patient’s body began producing insulin on its own, removing the need for daily insulin injections.

This result is notable because the cells were edited with CRISPR to match his immune system, potentially avoiding the need for immunosuppressant drugs. The donor was living. The estimated cost is about 100 thousand dollars. Islet cell transplants have occurred in a small number of patients before, but this is the first time CRISPR edited cells were used. In a related case, Marlaina Goedel, 30, was described as diabetes-free within weeks after a deceased donor transplant, though she initially required immunosuppression.

The breakthrough shows how gene editing and transplant science intersect with patient hope. If confirmed in more people, this approach could shift the cost and logistics of diabetes care, but affordability will be a key test.

Skeptics will want long term safety data, the possibility of off target edits, and the challenge of scaling such therapies. The report also raises questions about access and who will pay for a therapy that costs around 100k per patient.

Highlights

The medical ledger will judge whether this breakthrough becomes widely available