Microencapsulation of Cells: DIABEADS

Lead Inventors: Collin J. Weber M.D.; Keith Reemtsma M.D.Problem or Unmet Need:In 2000, according to the World Health Organization, at least 171 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, or 2.8% of the population. Its incidence is increasing rapidly, and it is estimated that by 2030, this number will almost double. Pancreatic islet transplantation presents an attractive potential form of therapy for patients with diabetes mellitus. However, this therapeutic strategy is limited by the availability of immunologically compatible islets. A method of microencapsulating donor islets to protect them from the immune system would enable long-term survival and functionality of the islet graft. The technology provides a method of encapsulating viable donor islets within a poly-lysine-alginate double-walled bead. The double-walled beads are physiologically compatible with the donor tissue or cells and prevent their destruction by the immune system, therefore, enabling prolonged functionality in vivo. The technology also uses UV-B irradiation to immunosuppress the donor tissue or cells prior to encapsulation, which actually prolongs function in the case of UV-B treated, encapsulated islets.

Double layered microencapsulation and UV-B treatment provide synergistic function in the prevention of destruction of islet grafts, ensuring longer functionality The material is more biocompatible, and non toxic

The technology can be used to support allograft/xenograft pancreatic islet transplantation for diabetes The technology can be also expanded to other allograft/xenograft transplantation therapies

The technology provides a method of encapsulating viable donor islets within a poly-lysine-alginate double-walled bead. The double-walled beads are physiologically compatible with the donor tissue or cells and prevent their destruction by the i...

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