A 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes no longer needs to manage her insulin levels after undergoing a pioneering stem cell treatment.

Reports claim that the woman, who is from Tianjin, China, received a transplant of induced pluripotent stem cells, which were harvested from her body, then reprogrammed and developed into insulin-producing islet cells.

This human trial marks the first case where the patient’s own reprogrammed stem cells were used to produce the crucial hormone, potentially offering a breakthrough in treating the autoimmune disease.

Two-and-a-half months after the procedure, she no longer needed to inject insulin; a year later, her blood sugar levels remained stable without supplementation. The procedure involved injecting 1.5 million cells into her abdominal muscles, which allowed for easy monitoring.

Researchers believe this method could eventually eliminate the need for expensive insulin injections for millions worldwide.

Similar trials have been conducted using donor cells, but this approach of using the patient’s own cells aims to reduce the risk of immune rejection. However, the patient was already on immunosuppressants due to previous liver transplants, so further studies are needed to determine if the treatment can work without them.

Although it’s too soon to declare a cure, experts are optimistic about this groundbreaking development, which could revolutionise diabetes management. Further trials are planned to replicate the results and expand treatment options.