$NVLX  In a “proof-of-principle” study, cellu

$NVLX  In a “proof-of-principle” study, cellulose-based capsules (produced in the same way as the capsules used in the pancreatic cancer clinical trials) containing live pancreatic islet cells from pigs were implanted into diabetic rats. Within a very short time, the blood glucose levels of the rats became normalized and remained that way for the 6-month duration of the study. Because of the robustness and longevity (over two years in humans in the pancreatic cancer trials done to date) of the cellulose-based capsules, no immunosuppressive drugs were necessary. Finally, when the capsules were removed from the rats at the end of the study, the cells that had been encapsulated were found to be fully viable and capable of responding to changes in glucose levels in their surroundings. This study illustrates the true platform nature of the cellulose-based live-cell encapsulation technology in developing a type of artificial pancreas.