Researchers in China have reported remarkable early successes in using stem cell-derived islet cells to restore natural insulin production in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. These developments, emerging from trials in 2023–2024 and highlighted in publications through 2025, represent some of the first documented cases where individuals with long-standing diabetes achieved insulin independence after receiving transplants of lab-grown cells derived from their own bodies. While experts describe the results as promising steps forward in regenerative medicine, they stress that these are small-scale, early-phase studies with limited participants, and broader application remains years away.
The advances build on decades of stem cell research, including techniques to reprogram adult cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then guide them into becoming functional pancreatic islet cells capable of sensing glucose and releasing insulin. By using a patient’s own cells, the approach avoids immune rejection risks associated with donor transplants and eliminates the need for lifelong immunosuppressive drugs.
Landmark Case in Type 1 Diabetes: Insulin Independence Achieved
In a study led by cell biologist Deng Hongkui at Peking University, a 25-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes for over a decade received an autologous transplant in June 2023. The team extracted cells from her body, chemically reprogrammed them into pluripotent stem cells using small molecules for precise control, differentiated them into insulin-producing islet cells, and transplanted about 1.5 million of these cells into her abdominal muscles—a site chosen for easier monitoring via MRI and potential removal if needed.
Within less than three months, the patient began producing her own insulin. By the one-year follow-up, she maintained stable blood glucose levels without any insulin injections, with high time-in-range metrics and no severe hypoglycemia. The results, detailed in a 2024 Cell publication, marked the first reported human case of this autologous stem cell approach for type 1 diabetes. Two additional participants in the trial showed encouraging early progress, prompting plans for expanded studies.
Parallel Success Reported in Type 2 Diabetes
In a separate effort from Shanghai researchers, a 59-year-old man with long-standing type 2 diabetes—insulin-dependent for years—underwent a similar procedure using stem cell-derived islet cells from his own body. Reports from 2024 indicate he achieved insulin independence post-transplant, with restored natural regulation of blood sugar. This case has been described in some outlets as the first reported reversal for type 2 diabetes via stem cells, though detailed peer-reviewed publications remain more limited compared to the type 1 study.
Type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance and progressive beta cell dysfunction, and replenishing functional cells addresses the latter aspect. The autologous method again avoids rejection issues, highlighting potential for patients who have become insulin-dependent over time.
The Science Behind the Breakthrough
The core innovation lies in chemical reprogramming, a refinement of the original Yamanaka factors method developed nearly 20 years ago. By using small molecules instead of genetic vectors, researchers achieved safer, more controlled induction of pluripotency. The resulting stem cells were then directed to form mature, glucose-responsive islet cells that engraft, vascularize, and function like natural pancreatic tissue after transplantation.
Abdominal placement represented another practical advance, allowing non-invasive monitoring and reducing risks compared to liver infusions used in traditional islet transplants. Early data from these cases showed sustained glycemic control, with patients reaching non-diabetic HbA1c levels over follow-up periods.
Important Caveats and Next Steps
These successes involve very small numbers of patients—primarily case reports or phase I trials—and long-term outcomes are still being evaluated. Questions remain about durability, potential autoimmune responses in type 1 (even with autologous cells), scalability for widespread use, and applicability across diverse patient groups. Researchers emphasize that while patients achieved functional reversal (insulin independence), this does not equate to a permanent cure for everyone, and larger, multi-center trials are essential.
Global efforts, including companies like Vertex Pharmaceuticals advancing similar stem cell-derived therapies, complement these Chinese findings. International collaboration and rigorous validation will be key to translating early promise into safe, accessible treatments.
Looking to the Future of Diabetes Care
With diabetes affecting hundreds of millions worldwide and contributing to major complications like cardiovascular disease and kidney failure, these reports spark cautious optimism. Restoring the body’s own insulin production could one day reduce the daily burden of injections, monitoring, and lifestyle restrictions for many patients.
As research progresses, the focus stays on safety, efficacy confirmation, and equitable access. These Chinese cases stand as important milestones in the long journey toward potentially transforming diabetes management through regenerative approaches.
The path from laboratory success to routine clinical care continues, but these human outcomes highlight the accelerating pace of stem cell science in addressing chronic diseases.