Type 1 Cure Tracker (2025)

We’ve heard it for decades: "The cure for type 1 diabetes is just 10 years away!” At this rate, it might be immortal! But there is good work happening, and I thought it would be helpful to get some real perspective by looking at all the major players. They're all taking different approaches, from cell transplants to gene editing and immunotherapies. So here’s a global roundup of who’s chasing a true cure, what they’re doing, and how far away (or not!) it looks in 2025.

Vertex’s Beta-Cell Factory (USA)

The most advanced program belongs to Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex took over Harvard’s “Semma” stem-cell therapy and turned it into VX‑880 (yep, catchy name!). VX-880 is an infusion of lab-grown islet (beta) cells into the liver.

The results have been quite promising: in a 12-patient trial, all 12 eliminated severe hypoglycemia (remember that beta cells are also responsible for releasing glucagon) and 10 out of the 12 became insulin-independent. Encouraged by this, the FDA cleared VX‑880 to proceed to a pivotal Phase 3 trial late in 2024.

The catch: VX‑880 patients must take lifelong immunosuppressants to protect the donor cells – a big trade-off! Vertex knows this isn’t a practical cure for most people so they’re on a two-front attack. First, VX‑264, which is a trial of the same stem-cell islets but packed in an immune-protective pouch. This is already in Phase I/II trials. If all goes well, we could see initial data this year. Second, in partnership with CRISPR Therapeutics, Vertex is developing hypoimmune islets. These are gene-edited cells designed to hide from the immune system. To prepare for success, Vertex has even made deals with Lonza and TreeFrog to build a giant cell-manufacturing factory (12,000+ sqm) so these cells can be made at scale.

Sernova’s Cell Pouch (Canada)

Sernova is testing a clever idea: implantable “cell pouches” under the skin that let islets take root safely. Early 2025 interim data from Sernova’s Phase 1/2 trial are promising. Using donor islets (so far) in their pouch, 8 of 12 patients in Cohorts A/B achieved insulin independence and 11/12 achieved an HbA1c of ≤7%. It is worth noting though that 2 of these 12 already had an HbA1c of <7%. All patients reported better hypoglycemia awareness and, as you would expect, quality of life. This is another approach that, so far, also requires the patients to take immunosuppressants.

Based on the success so far, Sernova will move to Cohort C later in 2025 and then start a brand-new trial in 2026 using Evotec’s stem-cell-derived islets, instead of donor islets.

Sana Biotechnology (Sweden/USA)

Sana took a different tack: using gene-edited or “cloak” donor islets. In a first-in-human trial in Sweden, they infused a small dose of cadaveric islets (yes, cells donated from someone who died) engineered with Sana's “Hypoimmune” tech into a patient volunteer’s arm muscle. The 12-week update (March 2025) was encouraging: MRI showed the graft was alive, and that the cells behaved normally, meaning that they sensed glucose and released insulin. Best of all, the patient didn't need any immunosuppressant drugs!

Unfortunately, the dose of cells was too small for the patient to be free of taking insulin, but this trial was a big deal because it's the longest any human-transplanted islets have survived without drugs. They’re now working on a larger trial using Sana’s own gene-edited, stem-cell-derived beta cells (aka lab-grown, not from a donor) which they're aiming to start in 2026.

Sana’s strategy is arguably the closest thing to a "normal pancreas". If it works, you could produce your own insulin from gene-hacked, lab-grown beta cells with no immunosuppression pills needed. Early signs are good, but a lot more testing lies ahead.

Immunotherapies & Others

Beyond swapping in new beta cells, some research tries to fix the immune attack. The blood cancer drug teplizumab (brand name Tzield) was the first FDA-approved “disease-modifying” T1D drug (2022). It doesn’t restore insulin, but it delays the onset of Type 1 by an average of two years if given to patients who are already showing the type 1 antibodies.

An even newer idea is peptide immunotherapy: Belgian biotech Imcyse has developed a vaccine-like series of injections intended to wipe out the specific T-cells attacking beta cells. A Phase 1b trial (new-onset kids) showed a clean safety profile and hints of an immune benefit, and so they've moved on to phase 2, which will include 110 patients, and should have results some time this year.

Other approaches are in the wild: U.S. trials of the BCG vaccine (for tuberculosis) continue in hopes it might rebalance immunity, and groups like the Garvan Institute here in Australia are preparing “A20 gene therapy” trials to genetically strengthen transplanted islets against attacks. These immune therapies are intriguing in that if any one of them proves safe and effective, it could be combined with cell therapy for a real cure.

Always 10 Years Away, Or Getting Closer?

Of course, none of this is a guarantee. Every approach so far requires trade-offs (immunosuppressants, massive clinical costs, limited donors etc.) and big unknowns remain (long-term safety, manufacturing at scale, who will pay for it?). And “commercial readiness” is still several years off even for the leaders. But the question has shifted from if to which: will it be a cell transplant, implantable cell pouches, or an immune reset?

For now, the best medicine is cautious optimism – and remembering to thank modern tech for making day-to-day life easier while the cure is cooking.