CURE FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES CLOSER

Australia's first islet transplant has been performed at Westmead Hospital. The transplantation of insulin producing cells, known as islets, offers new hope of a cure for people with type 1 diabetes.

Associate Professor Philip O'Connell, Director of the National Pancreas Transplant Unit at Westmead Hospital, announced news of the transplant last night at a Diabetes Symposium organised by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Sydney.

On 27 October, Westmead Hospital's transplant team, led by Associate Professor Philip O'Connell, performed the nation's first islet transplant on a male patient in his mid 30s with type 1 diabetes. Suffering from severe health problems after living with diabetes for 28 years, the procedure will potentially free him from frequent insulin injections and worsening complications, such as kidney failure, heart disease and blindness. It is expected that he will require another islet transplant before coming off insulin.

Islets contain beta cells that produce insulin, a hormone which converts glucose from food into the energy needed to sustain life. In Type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system attacks and destroys the islet cells so that the body cannot produce its own insulin. When islets are transplanted from a donated pancreas, they begin to secrete insulin and reestablish normal control of the body's blood sugar metabolism.

Recent transplants in the US, Canada and Europe have been so successful that around 80% of recipients are still free of insulin injections one year after the procedure. Almost 400 islet transplants have been conducted worldwide, but this is the first time an Australian patient has benefited from this medical breakthrough.

"Transplantation of pancreatic islet cells is a big step forward for diabetes research and we've been working towards this day for more than nine years," said A/Prof O'Connell.

"This marks the beginning of the development of islet transplantation as a treatment in Australia. The procedure has the potential to eliminate insulin injections and control blood sugar levels without major surgery and, with further research, islet transplantation could become a real option for patients with type 1 diabetes," he said.

Researchers at Westmead Hospital followed the Edmonton Protocol, a revolutionary protocol developed in Canada, which has dramatically improved the success rate of islet transplantation from 8% only a few years ago to around 80% today. Recent advances in cell isolation, purification and immunosuppressive drugs have also contributed to the extremely encouraging results.

"This is terrific news for the 100,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes," said Sheila Royles, CEO of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. "It is an important milestone on the road to a cure and provides people with juvenile diabetes with great hope for the future."

Three more patients are preparing to receive new islet cells through the program at Westmead Hospital. The procedure is still considered experimental, so only patients suffering from serious diabetes complications are currently eligible.

Despite the enormous promise of islet transplantation, there are still issues to overcome, including the ongoing need for immunosuppressive drugs to prevent islet cell rejection and a shortage of available pancreases. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation provides significant funding to research programs in Australia and overseas to find answers to these remaining challenges.

"The science of islet transplantation is improving all the time," said A/Prof O'Connell. "The Edmonton Protocol has shown that it is possible to replace insulin secreting cells and get Type 1 diabetics off insulin. As the procedure becomes safer and other sources of islets are found, this type of treatment could be offered to more patients with type 1 diabetes."

The National Pancreas Transplant Unit has performed over 150 pancreas and kidney transplants during the last 15 years. A/Prof O'Connell acknowledged the dedication of his research team in making the islet transplantation a reality.

Often overshadowed by the more common and higher profile Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 diabetes is the more unforgiving form of the disease. Chronic and debilitating, it usually strikes children and young adults, making them insulin dependent for life and at high risk of complications including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke and amputation.

JDRF has long been at the forefront of funding cutting-edge diabetes research and is the leading non-profit, non-governmental provider of funds for diabetes research in the world. JDRF will commit $10 million to Australian research this year.

Assoc Prof Philip O'Connell is available for interview.

For further information:

Karolyn Andrews, Media & PR Manager, JDRF
Ph. 02 9966 0400 (x203) or 0403 787 077 | email: kandrews@jdrf.org.au

OR

Rebekah Bullock, Westmead Hospital
ph. 02 9845 8395 m. 0417 400 226