ProTrans highlighted as a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes in Dagens Medicin
NextCell Pharma AB* is proud that their drug candidate ProTrans has been highlighted in Dagens Medicin’s latest edition featuring ongoing research advances in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. ProTrans consists of mesenchymal stromal cells from the umbilical cord and has been investigated in a number of clinical studies at Uppsala University Hospital, where its potential to slow down the progression of the disease has been demonstrated.
Articles in Dagens Medicin (2024-09-25) underline the need to protect insulin-producing beta cells and delay the development of type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune system attacks the pancreas. Stem cells from umbilical cord tissue, which form the basis of ProTrans treatment, have been shown in previous studies to be able to suppress the autoimmune attack and thereby preserve the body's natural insulin production.
Professor Per-Ola Carlsson expresses hope for the future of type 1 diabetes treatment in the article saying, "A single treatment will hopefully be enough to preserve insulin production throughout life." Professor Carlsson is the principal investigator of the ongoing paediatric study ProTrans-Young together with co-investigators Johnny Ludvigsson and Helena Elding Larsson, who talk about a paradigm shift in type-1 diabetes and how anti-retroviral therapy has generated a great interest in screening children for diabetes.
The ongoing study ProTrans-Young study at Uppsala University uses ProTrans to treat children and adolescents who have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The ambition is that treatment with mesenchymal stromal cells will stop the progression of the disease with a single infusion, supporting preservation of insulin production throughout life.
"We are very pleased with the progress being made with ProTrans in this study. Our goal is to offer a safe and effective treatment that can delay or even stop the progression of type 1 diabetes," says Mathias Svahn, CEO of NextCell Pharma. "This research is an important step towards changing treatment options for patients, especially young children, who would otherwise be forced to live with the disease for the rest of their lives.”
Mesenchymal stromal cells, which are used in ProTrans can target inflamed tissue while having a low side effect profile, making them an attractive option for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. Early results from studies in both adults and children look promising, and NextCell Pharma looks forward to continuing the work together with Uppsala University and other partners to evaluate ProTrans' full potential.
Cellaviva is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NextCell that offers stem cell savings. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood and umbilical cord tissue (the same cells used in the manufacture of ProTrans) can be collected at birth, without any medical intervention, and saved for the possible future medical needs of the child and family.
* NextCell Pharma AB, "NextCell" or "Bolaget", Nasdaq First North Growth Market: NXTCL