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Islet Cell Transplant for Type 1 Diabetes

Islet Transplantation Using a T-Cell Depleting Immunosuppression Induction Regimen

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01909245
Acronym
TCD
Enrollment
10
Registered
2013-07-26
Start date
2013-10-16
Completion date
2026-09-22
Last updated
2025-11-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Keywords

Islet cells, hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia unawareness, islet after kidney transplantation, islet transplant, insulin independence, insulin dependence, labile diabetes

Brief summary

City of Hope National Medical Center, located in Duarte, CA, is hosting a clinical study on islet cell transplantation, an experimental procedure being evaluated as a treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes. Islet cell transplantation involves taking insulin-producing cells from organ donors and transplanting them into the liver of a patient with diabetes. Once transplanted, the islets produce insulin, which can improve blood sugar control and eliminate the need to inject insulin or use an insulin pump. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and alemtuzumab (Campath) are anti-rejection medications that work by decreasing a patient's T-cells. T-cells are special white blood cells that recognize and destroy unwanted things like infections but can also attack transplanted cells and organs. Reducing the number of T-cells at the time of transplant may protect islets and improve long-term transplant success. In previous research studies, islet transplantation has been successful in reducing low blood sugar episodes, improving overall blood sugar control, and in some cases, allowing patients with type 1 diabetes to stop taking insulin. The purpose of this study is to determine if islet cell transplantation using ATG or alemtuzumab, along with additional medications to prevent the body from rejecting the transplanted cells, is a safe and effective treatment for type 1 diabetes. Study participants may receive up to three islet transplants and will be followed for five years to monitor blood sugar control, islet transplant function, and changes in quality of life.

Interventions

Intraportal (into the liver) infusion of islet cells, with a maximum of three islet transplants.

DRUGImmunosuppressive Agents

Anti-rejection medications (to prevent the body from rejecting the islet cells) and other medications to guard against infection and support participant health and/or the health of the transplanted islets.

Gastrin-17 (or GAST-17) - a gut hormone injected under the skin for 30 days (optional treatment for islet dysfunction).

Sponsors

University of California, Los Angeles
CollaboratorOTHER
City of Hope Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 68 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Three different categories of patients with Type 1 Diabetes will be considered for study participation: * Naïve islet transplant alone (nITA) candidates: T1D patients complicated by frequent/severe hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia unawareness, AND/OR otherwise unstable blood glucose control who have not received a previous transplant (except for a failed pancreas more than 6 months prior to screening) * Repeat transplant (RT) candidates: T1D patients who have received two or fewer previous islet transplants \> 1 month prior to screening, but continue to require exogenous insulin treatment or have an HbA1c \> 6.5% * Islet after kidney transplant (IAK) candidates: T1D patients with a history of successful renal transplant \> 3 months prior to screening Inclusion criteria for all candidates: 1. Age 18-68 years 2. Type 1 diabetes mellitus for at least 5 years 3. Ability and willingness to comply with post-transplant regimen, including taking anti-rejection medications, use of reliable contraception, frequent clinic visits, lab tests, careful recording of blood glucose values, insulin doses and medications, and completing detailed follow-up studies Additional Inclusion Criteria nITA Candidates Only 4. Unstable blood sugar control characterized by: Frequent hypoglycemia (blood glucose ≤ 54 mg/dl more than once per week) -AND/OR- Hypoglycemia unawareness (Clarke score of 4 or more) -AND/OR- One or more severe hypoglycemic episodes in 12 months preceding enrollment. -AND/OR- Erratic blood glucose levels that interfere with daily activities -AND/OR- One or more hospital visits for diabetic ketoacidosis in the 12 months preceding enrollment Additional Inclusion Criteria for RT Candidates Only 5. One or two or previous islet transplants \> 1 month prior to screening with continuing insulin requirements and/or HbA1c \> 6.5% Additional Inclusion Criteria for IAK Candidates Only 6. Successful kidney transplant \> 3 months prior to screening 7. Stable maintenance immunosuppression consisting of tacrolimus alone or in conjunction with sirolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, myfortic or azathoprine; or cyclosporine in conjunction with sirolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, or myfortic +/- ≤ 10 mg/day corticosteroids 8. No history of acute rejection related to kidney graft in last 12 months and low risk of rejection 9. Under continuing care of physician for kidney graft, who has provided letter in support of candidate's consideration for study participation

Exclusion criteria

1. Body Mass Index (BMI) \> 33 2. Insulin requirements \> 1.2 units/kg/day 3. Known sensitization to both rATG -and- alemtuzumab 4. Significant kidney dysfunction 5. Significant liver/gall bladder disease 6. Significant cardiovascular disease 7. Active proliferative retinopathy 8. High blood pressure despite appropriate treatment 9. High cholesterol/triglycerides despite appropriate treatment 10. Anemia or other blood disorders that require medical treatment 11. WBC \<3,000/ul 12. Increased risk of bleeding, other chronic hemostasis disorders, or treatment with chronic anticoagulant therapy 13. Recent unresolved acute infection (except for mild skin infection or nail fungal infection), or chronic infection 14. Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) IgG negative 15. Any history of malignancy, except for completely resected squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cancer of the cervix 16. Recent history of non-adherence to medical treatment, or inability to demonstrate capacity to comply with strict blood glycemic control and insulin therapy 17. Psychiatric illness that is untreated, or likely to interfere significantly with study compliance despite treatment 18. Previous organ/tissue transplant, except as noted above 19. Administration of live attenuated vaccines within 2 months of enrollment 20. Presence of a chronic disease that must be chronically treated with a contraindicated agent 21. Use of investigational agents within four weeks of enrollment 22. Active alcohol or substance abuse, including cigarette smoking 23. Pregnant women, women intending future pregnancy, women of reproductive potential who are unable or unwilling to follow effective contraceptive measures prior to study entry and for as long as they are on immunosuppression medication, and women presently breast feeding are excluded 24. Individuals without health insurance 25. History of gastric bypass 26. Any medical condition that in the opinion of the investigator will interfere with safe participation in the trial

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Proportion of subjects who are insulin independent, hypoglycemia free, AND with hemoglobin A1c < or = 6.5% at 1 year post-transplant1 year post-transplant
Proportion of subjects who are insulin independent, hypoglycemia free, AND with hemoglobin A1c < or = 6.5% at 2 years post-transplant2 years post-transplant
Proportion of subjects who are insulin independent, hypoglycemia free, AND with hemoglobin A1c < or = 6.5% at 5 years post-transplant5 years post-transplant

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Proportion of subjects who are free of severe hypoglycemic episodes AND have a hemoglobin A1c < or = 7.0%+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant

Other

MeasureTime frame
Decline in insulin intake/100,000 IEQ infused+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Insulin secretion during Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test (IVGTT), IVGTT+arginine stimulation (IVGTT+AST), Maximum Stimulated Insulin Secretion test (MSIS), and/or Mixed Meal Tolerance Test (MMTT)+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Rate of alloimmune rejection+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Rate of autoimmune reactivation+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Incidence and severity of adverse events related to islet transplant procedure+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Incidence and severity of adverse events related to immunosuppression+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Proportion of subjects experiencing reduction/elimination of hypoglycemic episodes+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Incidence of immune sensitization defined by presence of anti-HLA antibodies post-transplant that were absent pre-transplant+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Incidence of discontinuation of immunosuppression+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Improvement in glucose time within range during continuous glucose monitoring+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Improvement in Personal Glycemic State (PGS) score calculated from continuous glucose monitoring+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Incidence of Gastrin-17 use for treatment of islet graft dysfunction AND incidence of change or early discontinuation of Gastrin-17 treatment+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Incidence of change in immunosuppression drug regimen+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Duration of insulin independence+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Proportion of subjects who maintain a positive c-peptide secretion response to glucose/glucagon stimulation+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant
Change in average daily insulin use compared to baseline+75 days, +6 months, +12 months, and +2, +3, +4 and +5 years post islet transplant

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026