Scripps and MicroIslet to Collaborate on Diabetes Treatment

An agreement to collaborate on islet cell transplantation therapy for treating insulin-dependent diabetes has been announced by The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI, La Jolla, CA, USA) and MicroIslet, Inc. (San Diego, CA, USA).

The two companies plan to conduct preclinical studies utilizing patented technology developed by MicroIslet for the transplantation of islet cells. The company's islet transplantation technology, licensed from Duke University (Durham, NC, USA), includes methods for the isolation, culture, cryopreservation, and immuno-protection of islet cells. MicroIslet has been working to develop and commercialize a first product, called MicroIslet-P, which is a microencapsulated porcine islet cell suspension that will be used for transplantation in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. MicroIslet will provide financial support and technical assistance to TSRI, while TSRI will contribute the transplantation expertise of its scientists.

"The primary objective of this new research program will be to study MicroIslet's evolving technologies as the platform for solving the next major barrier to effective islet transplantation: immune rejection of the islets. We expect the results of these studies to enable the initiation of clinical trials using xenotransplantation for diabetes,” explained Daniel Salomon, associate professor in TSRI's department of molecular and experimental medicine and a member of the US Secretary of Health's Xenotransplantation Advisory Committee.