“A man with type 1 diabetes has become the first patient to produce his own insulin after receiving genetically engineered cell transplants, without needing drugs to prevent rejection.

The case, published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine, marks a potential breakthrough in the treatment of the disease, which affects 9.5 million people worldwide…

In this new approach, the researchers used CRISPR to create three changes to the genetic code of the donated cells so that they were less likely to have an immune response.

Two of these edits reduced the levels of proteins on the surface of the cells that signal to our white blood cells about whether a cell is foreign or not. A third edit boosted production of a protein that discourages attack from other immune cells called CD47.

The genetically edited cells were then injected into the man’s forearm. His body left the modified cells alone and the surviving cells produced insulin as normal.

Although the man was given a low dose of the edited cells and will still require daily insulin treatment, the case suggests that the procedure can be done safely.”

From Live Science.