Longevity & Aging

Gene-Edited Islet Cells Treat Type 1 Diabetes Without Anti-Rejection Drugs

Sana Biotechnology is presenting early clinical data on UP421, a gene-edited islet cell therapy designed to treat type 1 diabetes without requiring anti-rejection medications. The therapy uses Sana's hypoimmune platform, which engineers donor cells to evade the immune system, potentially allowing transplanted insulin-producing islet cells to survive long-term. This first-in-human study, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2026 meeting in Milan, marks a significant step toward a functional cure for type 1 diabetes. If validated, this approach could eliminate the serious risks and burdens of lifelong immunosuppression currently required for islet transplants.