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There is a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of cord blood to modulate autoimmune disease. Type 1 diabetes, also referred to as juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease resulting in the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Dr. Michael Haller, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of Florida, is currently conducting a second clinical trial to determine whether autologous cord blood stem cell transfusions can
improve glucose control in children with Type 1 diabetes by restoring immune tolerance.
Dr. Haller’s first trial followed a simple protocol of an intravenous infusion of autologous cord blood into patients newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. There was no other drug therapy and patients continued with their intensive diabetes management. These patients were monitored for 2 years to measure how much insulin they were making on their own and to assess blood sugar levels and the function of key immune system cells. Preliminary data from this trial suggested
that patients who received their own cord blood required significantly less insulin during the first 6 months of the trial. Also, a small increase in the number of key immune cells was detected during this period1. In all, 23 children received autologous cord blood in this study and the therapy was demonstrated to be 100% safe.
Dr. Haller is currently conducting a second trial to determine whether a single intravenous infusion of autologous cord blood followed by 1 year of daily vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acid supplementation can preserve beta cell function, and hence insulin production, in children with type 1 diabetes. Vitamin D is thought to play an important role in promoting healthy immune responses whereas omega 3 fatty acids may play an important role in preserving beta cell function via their anti-inflammatory actions. This study, which started in March 2009, will enroll 15 children with recent onset Type 1 diabetes and available autologous cord blood. Ten children will receive a combination of intensive insulin therapy, cord blood infusion, daily supplements while the other 5 will receive intensive insulin therapy alone. The estimated primary completion date for this study is March 20122.
To date, five of Insception Lifebank’s clients have participated in the clinical trials being conducted by Dr. Haller. While the current evidence suggests that cord blood infusions alone may not cure Type 1 diabetes, it is anticipated that further studies will help determine how to improve cord blood based therapy for diabetes. Hopefully the knowledge gained by these ground breaking studies will be applicable to the use of cord blood as a therapeutic for other autoimmune disorders, such as
multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease.
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1 Haller MJ et al Exp Hematol. 2008 Jun;36(6):710-5
2 https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00873925?term=cord+blood+diabetes&rank=1