A New Approach to Reducing Side Effects From Islet Transplant for Type 1 Diabetes

For some people with Type 1 diabetes, insulin injections alone are not enough to manage their blood sugar safely and effectively. In these cases, doctors may consider pancreas or islet transplantation—procedures that may help reverse diabetes by restoring the body's natural ability to produce and regulate insulin.

A full pancreas transplant requires major surgery and carries significant risks. Islet transplantation is a newer, less invasive alternative. In this procedure, doctors isolate the insulin-producing cells from a donor pancreas and infuse them into the patient through a small catheter—avoiding surgery altogether. Like pancreas transplants, islet transplantation may reverse diabetes without requiring daily insulin injections.

However, both procedures come with an important trade-off: patients must take anti-rejection medications for life to prevent their immune system from attacking the transplanted tissue. These immunosuppressive drugs can cause serious side effects and toxicity over time.

Because of the side effects and risks of lifelong immunosuppression, islet transplantation is currently only available to a carefully selected group of people. Specifically, it is offered to those whose Type 1 diabetes is very difficult to control despite their best management efforts—people who struggle daily despite doing everything they can to manage their condition.

This strict limitation means that many people who might benefit from islet transplantation cannot access it, because the side effects of the anti-rejection medications may outweigh the benefits for them.

The immunosuppressive toxicity of anti-rejection medications has been a major barrier preventing islet transplantation from becoming available to more people. Researchers have recently begun testing tegoprubart, a new medication designed to address this problem.

Early results with tegoprubart are promising. If this medication can safely reduce the burden and side effects of anti-rejection drugs, it may help make islet transplantation available to more people with Type 1 diabetes, rather than only a small, carefully selected group.

Tegoprubart is still in testing phases, and more research is needed to understand how well it works and whether it is safe for long-term use. However, the early promise of this medication represents an important step toward potentially making islet transplantation safer, more accessible, and a realistic option for more people living with Type 1 diabetes.

Source: YouTube community video. Evidence type: Community video — lay discussion, not peer-reviewed research. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.