Zimislecel: Lab-Grown Islet Cell Therapy

Context:

A clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine in June 2025 demonstrated promising results of zimislecel, a stem cell-derived islet cell therapy, in restoring insulin production in patients with severe Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes Mechanism:

An autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks pancreatic islet cells (beta cells), which produce insulin.
Leads to an absolute deficiency of insulin, requiring lifelong external administration.

Current Management Limitations:

Despite technological advancements like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), around 75% of patients fail to achieve glycaemic targets.
Severe hypoglycaemic episodes and the inability to mimic the natural insulin rhythm remain major challenges.

Zimislecel Therapy – Innovation:

A stem cell-based treatment wherein lab-grown pluripotent stem cells are differentiated into functional insulin-producing islet cells.
These are infused into the hepatic portal vein, where they localise in the liver and begin insulin secretion.
Therapy avoids reliance on deceased donor organs and complex extraction techniques.

Trial Results:

Conducted on 12 patients with >20 years of Type 1 diabetes and recurrent severe hypoglycaemia.
All participants exhibited C-peptide production within 90 days, indicating endogenous insulin synthesis.
Improvements in glycaemic control were recorded over a 1-year period.

ECI’s Bihar Roll Purification Drive

Polity & Governance

Axiom-4 and India’s

Science & Technology Space

Strengthening Counter-Terror Strategy

Internal Security

Five Years of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

Governance

Madras High Court Upholds Temple Entry Rights

Polity & Governance Fundamental Rights

Tripura Becomes India’s Third Fully Literate State

Governance