Cure for diabetes in the young? Researchers from Gdańsk develop a vaccine

Researchers from Gdańsk have developed a vaccine that slows down the development of type one diabetes. This is a worldwide success. So far the vaccine has been used on 30 patients and some of them have had a remission of the disease. And all thanks to the doctors of Paediatrics, Diabetology and Endocrinology Clinic at the Medical University of Gdańsk.

A diabetic’s body not only fights infections, but attacks the pancreas as well, thus producing too little insulin. The scientists from Gdańsk have found a population of white blood cells which can stop the self-destruction of the body.

First, the patient gets T-cells introduced into their organism and then we draw their blood, up to half a litre of blood, and take no more than a drop of it – said prof. Piotr Trzonkowski of the University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk. – Then we multiply these cells to very large quantities and introduce them back so as to compensate for the blood loss.

This procedure causes the immune system to stop attacking the pancreas. If the treatment is to be effective, it should be repeated twice within half a year.

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The method developed in Gdańsk gives a chance to a strictly defined group of diabetics: aged 8-9 years old, weighing over 30kg, suffering from diabetes type one for over six months.

To turn hope into a daily activity at the level of medical practice, proven and well documented, we first need a lot of organisational effort, a lot of scientific knowledge, but also large amounts of money – explained Dr. Krzysztof Chlebus of the University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk.

For their further clinical research the scientists have recently managed to acquire 7 million złoty. The doctors are trying to register their method as an official drug, which could be refunded.

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