Revolutionary treatment: 86% of diabetic patients no longer need insulin injections

© Mykenzie Johnson/Unsplash

After the near-miracular recovery of this Chinese woman with type 1 diabetes, a new therapeutic approach offers hope this times to patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). As a reminder, the two conditions, although they have similar names, are different.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system, failing, attacks the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. The body is completely deprived of this hormone, essential for regulating blood sugar levels. People with this condition require lifelong insulin injections. Type 2 diabetes (T2D), on the other hand, is characterized by the body's resistance to insulin or insufficient production of insulin. It is often linked to factors such as obesity, lifestyle, and age. It can sometimes be managed by patients through dietary changes, physical activity, and medications, in addition to or instead of insulin.

The results of this treatment method discussed here for patients with T2D were presented at UEG Week 2024 (annual congress of the United European Gastroenterology). They show that 86% of participants were able to stop their insulin treatment.

A new therapeutic strategy

This new protocol combines the ReCET procedure (Re-Cellularization via Electroporation Therapy), a medical technique that restores the body's sensitivity to its own insulin and semaglutide (a drug that increases insulin production). All this is done under deep sedation.

After the procedure, patients follow a liquid diet for two weeks, which maintains a constant caloric intake (isocaloric liquid diet). During this fortnight, they also receive progressive doses of semaglutide up to 1 mg per week.

Spectacular long-term results

The pilot study, conducted on 14 participants aged 28 to 75 with varying body mass indices (24 to 40 kg/m²), revealed remarkable results. Twelve out of fourteen patients were able to completely stop their insulin treatment, a success that was maintained for two years. Unheard of!

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Even more impressive, their blood sugar remained under control, with HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) levels below 7.5%. Such a rate generally indicates good control of diabetes, as it shows that blood sugar levels have remained within a healthy range. Tolerance to treatment has also been excellent:93% of participants tolerated the maximum dose of semaglutide, with only one patient requiring a dose reduction due to nausea.

Treating at the source for a true cure

Dr. Celine Busch, lead author of the study, explains: “Unlike drug treatments that require daily dosing, ReCET does not require strict monitoring, thereby solving the critical problem of long-term adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes “. Unlike other therapeutic approaches, this one directly attacks the causes of the disease by improving sensitivity to endogenous (body-produced) insulin, rather than simply controlling symptoms.

To confirm these encouraging results, the research team is launching the EMINENT-2 trial, a larger study that will compare the ReCET procedure to a placebo treatment, again in combination with semaglutide. “We are currently conducting this trial with the same criteria for selecting participants and administering semaglutide, but this time some will receive a sham procedure and others will receive ReCET treatment. The study also aims to understand exactly how ReCET works,” explains Dr. Busch. Fingers crossed, this therapy could ultimately change the lives of 422 million people with T2D around the world.

• A new therapy combining ReCET and semaglutide has enabled 86% of patients with type 2 diabetes to switch from insulin.
• This approach restores the body's sensitivity to its own insulin and provides lasting blood sugar control.
• Additional trials are underway to validate these promising results on a larger scale.

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