Johnson & Johnson, ViaCyte testing possible diabetes cure

ViaCyte said its work with Janssen, part of Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, and consolidating assets of Janssen’s BetaLogics group, will help make advances in the stem cell treatments.

In this therapy, researchers implant the small capsule underneath the skin of the patients that release insulin-producing cells.

“These cells are human cells, but they’re not the patient’s cells, so the patient’s immune system would want to remove those cells – attack those cells”, said ViaCyte CEO Paul Laikind. It has been an obstruction that has thwarted other study projects.

Several universities, including Harvard University, used stem cells to create insulin-producing cells which when used in animal trials shut down the effects of Type one Diabetes. Without effective treatment, diabetics suffer severe complications: blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, amputations, even premature death.

In 2014, J&J streamed $20 million into ViaCtye for the option to acquire its a early-stage diabetes type I therapy. “The recent clinical data, while preliminary, are encouraging and move us closer to our goal of a world without Type 1 diabetes”.

Meanwhile, about 85 per cent of those with the disease have Type 2 diabetes where the body makes some insulin but doesn’t use it efficiently.

Many patients can’t control it well because treatment is exhausting, requiring a strict diet, frequent exercise, multiple daily insulin injections or other medicines and several finger pricks a day to test blood sugar.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was noted that ViaCyte remains independent and no commercialisation rights to future products were conveyed as a result of this transaction. The TV star could get up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

No word yet on if or when further testing will be conducted.

Be Civil – It’s OK to have a difference in opinion but there’s no need to be a jerk.