Media Resources

The Advances in Porcine Islet Implants for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Symposium

The First Elliott-Collinson Symposium on Islet Implantation as a method of treating Type 1 diabetes is designed to bring together leaders in this field, who have been actively involved in human trials. It also signals the 20th birthday of Living Cell Technologies---albeit born under a different name, Diatranz, and honours the two co-founders.

Speakers

Riccardo Calafiore

Human islet allografts in immuno-suppressed Type 1 patients (Edmonton protocol) show progressive decline in function. The poor outcome, risk of immune suppression and paucity of donor pancreas , demands an alternative approach. We describe such an approach, using an immune barrier with the potential for use with non-human donor sources.

Bob Elliott

Prerequisites for human trials of encapsulated neonatal islets for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes are a defined pathogen free source herd, biocompatible perm selective durable micro-capsules and vital islets free of exocrine contamination. Herd requirements include SPF housing and regular infection monitoring. Islet and capsule production technology needs to be carried out in a GMP laboratory with validated processes.

Olga Garkavenko

Xenostransplantation is an emerging technology that aims to alleviate the shortage of human donors. Pigs are considered to be the most suitable donors. One of the main concerns in the field is the risk of cross-species infection from donor to recipient.
Xenovirology diagnostic laboratories must be able to perform several key tasks. This includes the establishment of reliable and sensitive assays for the detection of porcine infectious agents as well as the development of strategies for donor safety evaluation, source herd maintenance and recipient follow-up.

Linda Scobie

Pig-to-human xenotransplantation has become a step closer to reality due to advances in animal engineering to control immunonological, as well as microbial problems. The most highlighted issue for xenotransplantation safety has been the potential risk of zoonotic infection by porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV).