How There Could Finally Be A Cure For Diabetes

Over the past 20 years, significant advancements in stem cell research and therapies have been one of the most promising methods of creating new insulin making cells needed to cure type 1 diabetes.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company, recently began a clinical trial where it plans to treat 17 participants who have type 1 diabetes with new stem cell derived insulin making cells. The first patient in the trial has had positive results.

Other companies around the world including ViaCyte and CRISPR, as well as Novo Nordisk, one of the biggest insulin manufacturers in the world, are also working on curing the disease. CNBC explores why finding a cure for diabetes is so hard and just how close Vertex and other companies are to solving this problem.

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How There Could Finally Be A Cure For Diabetes

[bobloblaw]

38 years old, type 1 diabetic for 22 years. There was talk of a cure back when I was diagnosed. I’m always happy to see progress, but I’ll believe it when I’m cured.

[dwagner]

As a T1D for 70 yrs I find the potential for a cure or “near cure” encouraging. I have been told since I was a young teen “that a cure was around the corner so take good care of yourself”. I’m still waiting

[davidmatias]

I pray one day to see not only my son but many that suffer from this Disease to lives normal life again. 🙏🏼Cured

[oldman]

My wife of our 44 year marriage developed T1D when I first met her at the age of seventeen. She was determined to not let it interfere with her life nor let it be public knowledge and kept it in her background with great effort involving regular Dailey testing and multiple daily injections. She found pumps to indiscriminate and uncomfortable and kept using injection with ever changing mixes of long and short insulins depending on her physical demands and variations. She is currently using remote blood testing that transmits to her phone giving signals when parameters are breached keeping tight blood sugar control with little effort.
Now in her sixties she has no side effects from the disease and continues to live and do the things she wants when she wants.
She is now a mother of three and grandmother of seven

[danpeterson]

I’m 31 years old, and I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes less than 6 months ago. The 180 degree lifestyle change has been incredibly difficult, and it creates constant stress. It’s really encouraging to see treatments like this in development. I’m hopeful!

[stevenlam]

This is such a big problem with the world. I bet this new medicine will be sold at insane priced just like all the other companies and medicines.

[empireverseerrorvibechecke]

I am so happy to hear that there is progress on this, my father got type 1diabetes when he was 9 years old, he just passed away today from it and I want to make sure that type 1 diabetes won’t do this to anyone else in my family or out

[MsGarcuri]

53 years old been T1 31 years. It takes up so much of my day / time to take care of myself.

[ontime]

My daughter was diagnosed type 1 when she was 7 she's 10 now, I prey to god they come up with a cure

[calebbutler]

"5 years away from a cure" is a phrase I’ve heard for nearly 26 years. Fortunately I have been able to reign in my hopes and expectations, but for a long time I just didn’t take care of my t1d because I was sure the cure was coming along soon enough. All of this is exciting, but if you’re new to following diabetes cure news, please consider this quote from the video: "you have to be healthy when cures arrive." Think of each scientific breakthrough as another incentive to strive for even tighter control of your BGLs, another reason to stay healthy so that you can, eventually, enjoy your diabetes-free body in full health.

[Samantha-ntgw]

I hope this does work I was diagnosed 20 years ago at 11 years old & controlling them is a pain. My sugars used to always be elevated now my sugars just bottom. & I can’t even tell my sugar is low. Diabetes is extremely hard to deal with.

[mohammedalshalan]

44 years old, type 1 dia. For 31 years and currently suffering from complications to my eyes, kidneys, feet and my brain as i can’t afford the existing technologies like CGM and insulin pump to keep things under control. I’m happy to see this massive breakthrough in finding the cure for this horrible disease (I call it the slow cancer) but I don’t think further progress will come to surface anytime soon as it means big companies producing medical equipment and medication for diabetes will face massive sudden income loss, and until they control whatever solution will come next to ensure money flow, they will not allow a full cure to come out now. Fingers crossed, I can peacefully die in the coming few years that left of my life knowing that next generations will not have to go through the suffering that all type 1 Dia. Patients went/are going through. God bless all those who worked on this amazing achievement and hopefully more to come in the future.

[anthonymarquez]

This is pretty stupid to ask the company that jacked up insulin prices, if they care about losing profit over curing Diabetes.

[samathafreedom]

I've had T1D for 63 years my brother T1D for 66 years and my sister T1D 62 years and have seen tremendous changes over all these years from glass syringes Yep regular insulin to Yup insulin and U100 insulin using disposable plastic syringes. Now I was the 1st patient my Endocrinologist asked if I would go on an insulin pump and I said Yes I'll be your very 1st patient to go on the insulin pump and that was 51 years ago. I've heard over & over again that there will be a cure for T1D. Hopefully this will happen. My Mother diagnosed all 3 of us and took us to the hospital. Thank Goodness for our Mother.

[kendrickv]

as a type 1 diabetic i would do anything to get this treatment. tyoe 1 diabetes makes life 100% harder

[fiskie]

I've had T1D for 58 years and have seen unbelievable changes in treatment. The first was home glucose monitoring in 1980, which changed everything. The second was reliable CGM several years ago. During all that time, beginning in 1963, a "cure" was 10 years away. I've come to see that as an empty promise, which I assume was stated to try and buck up Type 1 diabetics. At this point, I would definitely not take an immunosuppressive drug to reduce my insulin requirement by 92%. So, this may become a safe, viable therapy in time, but not in my lifetime. CGM keeps my A1c at 6.1, which is good enough for me.

[GameOfDepth]

As a type 1 diabetic cyborg, the fact that this is being reported by type 1 diabetics, gives it so much more value to me. We are exhausted by news reports for “Diabetes Cures” that are about the more common Type 2.

[shecalledmelisalou]

Until everyone can get this treatment, CGM should be covered by insurance for every diabetic. I was told I was pre-diabetic but my insurance will not pay for CGM unless I am on insulin. I bought the CGM myself and by closely monitoring my sugar levels in real time, I have improved my A1C significantly enough to stay off of medication. Now I only use a CGM once every few months or so to make sure I am staying on track. So far so good. Information is power. Why insurance companies won’t pay to keep people off more expensive life altering drugs is beyond my comprehension.

[francesharvey]

I have been a JVD for 35 years I would like to participate in research. I was 13 years old. I’m now 57 years old. I’m thurs for blessed. The information is extremely informative. Thank you for making a difference & saving lives

[dreamgirlenterprises]

My mom passed away from diabetes complications, I wish I knew more about this before she passed away @ age 47. I pray that this disease is cured & our people can live happy, abundant lives!