Cell-laden alginate hydrogels for the treatment of diabetes

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is an ever-increasing medical condition that currently suffers 1 of 11 adults who may have lifelong commitment with insulin injections. Cell-laden hydrogels releasing insulin may provide the ultimate means of correcting diabetes. Here, we provide insights of this cell-based approach including latest preclinical and clinical progress both from academia and industry.

Area covered

The present article focuses on reviewing latest advances in cell-laden hydrogels both from the technological and biological perspective. The most relevant clinical results including clinical trials are also discussed.

Expert opinion

Current progress in technological issues (stem cells, devices, biomaterials) have contributed cell encapsulation science to have a very relevant progress in the field of diabetes treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Diabetes mellitus
• cell encapsulation
• cell-laden hydrogels
• alginate
• drug delivery

Article highlights

• Cell-laden hydrogels enable long-term release of biological active agents such as insulin.

• Biological, material, and technological aspects are key to success.

• Some approaches are being evaluated in clinical trials (Phase 1-2)

• Adequate source of insulin-producing cells remains a critical issue.

• Stem-cell technologies have raised optimism about the scalable generation of insulin producing cell sources

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Acknowledgments

Authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (SAF2016-76150-R and BFU2017-82421-P) and technical assistance from the ICTS NANBIOSIS (Drug Formulation Unit, U10) at the University of the Basque Country. We also appreciate the support from the Basque Country Government (Grupos Consolidados, No ref: IT907-16). Izeia Lukin thanks the Basque Government for the PhD grant.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.