Company's stem cells treat diabetes in mice

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Human stem cells transformed into nearly normal insulin-producing cells when implanted into mice, possibly offering a way to treat diabetes long-term, researchers at a U.S. company reported on Wednesday.

The researchers used human embryonic stem cells -- the most powerful but the most controversial source of stem cells.

Writing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the team at San Diego, California-based Novocell Inc said their work showed that human embryonic stem cells might fulfill the promise of treating or perhaps even curing diabetes.

"Our data provide the first compelling evidence that human embryonic stem cells can serve as a renewable source of functional insulin-producing cells for diabetes cell replacement therapies," said Emmanuel Baetge, chief scientific officer of Novocell.

At least 170 million people globally have diabetes, with numbers expected to double by 2030. Five percent to 10 percent have type 1 diabetes, caused when the immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

In both types 1 and 2 diabetes, the body cannot use insulin properly or make enough of it to regulate glucose in the blood. Patients must monitor their blood sugar and often must take insulin as needed.

One hope for human embryonic stem cells is to use them to replace insulin-producing cells. Transplants from cadavers help, but there are nowhere near enough available.

Baetge's team used embryos discarded from fertility clinics, growing their own batches, or lines, of cells in other human cells -- a system Baetge hopes can more easily be tested in humans than cells grown using animal products.