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Ellen
10-22-2007, 09:14 AM
This is PRELIMINARY...it's important to temper enthusiasm until we see the data but it is nice news.:)

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0710/S00333.htm (http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0710/S00333.htm) <https://owa.pplweb.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0710/S00333.htm>


Further Positive Preliminary Data on DiabeCell®


Monday, 22 October 2007, 3:16 pm
Press Release: Living Cell Technologies

Further Positive Preliminary Data on DiabeCell® Phase I/IIa Trial

22 October 2007, Auckland, New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia: Living Cell Technologies Ltd (ASX:LCT, OTC: LVCLY) is releasing this update on the excellent initial responses observed in its DiabeCell® trial in Russia to ensure that the information is available to all shareholders, following the preliminary announcement on October 9th.

Medical Director of LCT, Professor Bob Elliott, advises that two patients have been implanted with their first dose of DiabeCell® and are due for a second dose 6 months later. DiabeCell® is administered to patients without the need for immunosuppressant drugs.

The first patient was injected with his first dose in June 2007 without adverse effects. Control of blood glucose levels has been maintained while his daily insulin requirement was gradually reduced by about 40% over the past 4 months.

The second recipient was implanted with her first dose of DiabeCell® in September 2007 without adverse effects and control of blood glucose has been maintained with progressive reduction of daily insulin requirements. At one month following the implant, the patient has been weaned off insulin altogether.

"These early stage results have exceeded our expectations, with one patient no longer dependant on insulin therapy following the smallest dose of DiabeCell®," said Professor Bob Elliot, Medical Director of LCT.

LCT CEO, Dr Paul Tan says, "This outstanding result increases the prospects of DiabeCell® as an effective commercial product for diabetes."

The object of the phase I/IIa trial in Russia is to determine whether a small dose of live micro-encapsulated pig islets injected into the abdominal cavity of type I diabetic patients is safe and can produce enough insulin to have a measurable effect on improving the control of blood glucose levels.

In the trial at the Sklifasovsky Institute in Moscow, each of 6 patients is to receive two transplants of the smallest dose (5,000 islet equivalents (IEQ's) which is equivalent to one third of the maximum dose (15,000 IEQ's) planned for testing in the proposed New Zealand study.

However, this is very preliminary data and LCT management looks forward to assessing these results in the context of full clinical trial data.

About Living Cell Technologies: www.lctglobal.com

Living Cell is developing live cell therapy products to treat life threatening human diseases. The company owns a biocertified pig herd that it uses as a source of cells for treating diabetes and neurological disorders. For patients with type 1 diabetes, the company transplants microencapsulated islet cells so that near-normal blood glucose levels may be achieved without the need for administration of insulin or at significantly reduced levels. The company entered clinical trials for its diabetes product in 2007.

Further background information on the trial is available at http://www.lctglobal.com/news/167.php

http://www.lctglobal.com/news/149.php

DadCares
10-22-2007, 11:32 AM
Ellen:

Thank you for sharing this encouraging study! I haven't studied this one yet. I'm assuming these 2 test patients are NOT recently diagnosed. Do you know?

rmccully2000
10-22-2007, 02:34 PM
These results give me butterflies in my stomach but I'm trying to temper them :) This is very promising.

I'm pretty sure these patients have had diabetes for many years.

Did they ever get the go-ahead to begin trials in NZ?

Thanks,
Becky Mom to Mason, 7 Dexcom, Omnipod

JoeC
10-22-2007, 02:53 PM
From online chat transcripts with Prof Elliott, the 2 patients are not recently diagnosed.

No, Minister Hodgson, has yet to give LCT the green light for human trials in NZ. I hope he does soon.

JoeC
10-22-2007, 02:57 PM
It's NZ Health Minister Pete Hodgson....

Mom2Will
10-22-2007, 05:04 PM
Wow, soooooo very encouraging, thanks Ellen!! I so enjoy all the information you provide!!!

keegansdad
10-23-2007, 12:51 PM
I was just wondering what they were finding out in that study. I had read the article a while back when he was flying to Russia with the islets.

rmccully2000
10-24-2007, 10:01 AM
I would like to start an online petition asking JDRF to get actively involved in supporting these trials. If they haven't already made efforts since the announcement of preliminary results, it's worth a try to see if they can help fast track this line of research. Insulin independence in an established diabetes patient without immunosuppressant drugs or adverse side effects should get their notice. If not, we need to question those in authority about it.

Even if Diabecell transplants turn out to be a temporary solution, it is a step in the right direction until a permanent solution is discovered and a HUGE improvement over the current regimen of insulin delivery. Who doesn't want to throw out their carb counting book? LOL!

Do you think this is a good idea, and if so, does anyone know of a reputable online petition site?


Becky, Mom to Mason 7 Dexcom, Omnipod

Ernst
10-24-2007, 02:12 PM
Oink, oink!

I don't think diabetics want to have pig cells in their body.

Yes, I know your two arguments ...

Ali
10-24-2007, 08:18 PM
I would love to have pig cells in my body if they produced insulin. I am a long standing type one and used animal insulin for many years. It is only recently that diabetics have not had to inject an insulin derived from pigs or cattle.Ali