In the treatment of long-term type 1 diabetes patients, the stimulation (induction) or restoration of immune tolerance is very important. In a first clinical study, tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDC) with proinsulin peptide were administered as two intradermal injection series as a basic or booster vaccination at intervals of one month.
The most important observation: There were no signs of systemic immunosuppression, no induction of insulin allergy, no disruption of insulin therapy and no accelerated loss of beta cell function. Based on the demonstration of the feasibility and safety of this method, the next step will be to conduct clinical trials in patients with a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Here, further tests will show whether the use of tolDC beta cells protects against autoimmune destruction and can be used as a curative therapy for type 1 diabetes.