In the fight against Type 1 diabetes, drugmakers are pursuing a new line of attack: creating cells that help the body beat the condition.

In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks pancreas cells that make insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb sugar. Some 1.25 million Americans have the condition, which raises the risk of heart disease, nerve damage, kidney failure and other illnesses. Patients typically tackle the disease with diligent glucose testing and insulin therapy, used to control blood sugar or glucose.

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