A Cure For Diabetes? William Rust, Ph.D. Explains | Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund

Insulin shots and organ transplants for Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes could become a thing of the past with Seraxis, and patients dependent on glucose may go free.
To learn more about the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF), visit www.mscrf.org
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The two types of diabetes, Type I Diabetes & Type II Diabetes, affect 1 in every 10 Americans. Type I remains the leading cause of a host of issues, including blindness, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, liver failure, and limb amputation, and it can remove up to 10 years from someone’s life expectancy.
While a pancreas transplant is curative for this devastating disease, there is no mass therapy or cure, and there aren’t enough transplants for everyone.
However, as Seraxis founder Dr. William Rust explains in this video, the entire organ doesn’t need to be transplanted to have the same curative impact. Scientists have discovered that only the small clusters of Pancreas “islet” cells, responsible for secreting insulin, need to be transplanted to provide a cure.
Dr. Rust knows “the race is on to develop a supply of islets that does not come from organ donation so that all of the patients who need this therapy can have it.” Seraxis developed a cell therapy made up of lab-grown islets cells that are functional, curative, and don’t require immune suppression.
Seraxis's research is leading the charge, and because of funding from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, its preliminary findings showed exciting promise and it's on the verge of launching its first clinical trial to show its efficacy in humans. If all goes successfully, they believe they’ll be able to commercialize this cellular therapy for patients in need in the next 5 years.
“We hope to demonstrate that patients, who previously needed injections 5 times a day, can walk out of the clinic completely independent of insulin,” shares Dr. Rust.
Despite the dire need of developing a cure for diabetes that is independent of an organ transplant, Dr. Rust explains “there is very little support for doing this type of work,” with the exception of the support he received from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund. For details about the Fund’s support of Seraxis, visit: www.mscrf.org/portfolio-compa...
The Fund has been true to its mission of accelerating cures by supporting the market leader in cell therapy development for Diabetes. To learn more about the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, visit: www.mscrf.org
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Disclaimer: MSCRF does not endorse the comments on our videos - please do not take comments from our audience as medical advice. Visit www.clinicaltrials.gov to learn about ongoing clinical research studies and please consult your physician to evaluate your condition and treatment options.