澳洲新基因改良技術 不打胰島素也能治糖尿病

Genetically modified cells could eliminate the need for daily injections to treat type 1 diabetes, experts have revealed.

專家透露，有了基因改良細胞，1型糖尿病患者就可不必天天注射胰島素了。

The human cell line is genetically engineered to produce, store and release insulin in response to blood sugar levels in the human body.

人類細胞系經基因改造後，可隨着人體內血糖水平的變化產生、儲存並釋放胰島素。

Scientists said the insulin-producing 'Melligen' cells show promise as a possible cure for type 1 diabetes.

科研人員表示，產生胰島素的“Melligen”細胞有望成爲1型糖尿病的新療法。

In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the pancreatic cells responsible for making insulin, a hormone crucial to converting blood sugar into energy.

1型糖尿病患者的免疫系統破壞了負責分泌胰島素的胰腺細胞，而胰島素是將血糖轉化成能量的關鍵激素。

This month, they secured US patent protection for the cell line from the US Patent and Trademark Office.

這項細胞系技術本月獲得美國專利商標局的專利保護.

Professor Ann Simpson, who led the team at the University of Technology, Sydney, said: 'My team and I are extremely pleased that the US patent for the Melligen cells has been granted.

悉尼科技大學的安•辛普森教授是該研究的領頭人，她說道，“獲得Melligen細胞的專利，我們整個團隊都特別高興。”

'This takes us a step closer to releasing diabetics from the need to inject insulin daily, and more importantly, protecting them from the debilitating complications of the disease, such as blindness, kidney failure and cardiovascular problems.'

“糖尿病患者要是能不用天天注射胰島素就好了，而Melligen細胞讓我們離這樣的未來又近了一步，更重要的是，它還能保護患者，使其不因產生併發症而日漸虛弱，如失明、腎衰竭及心血管疾病。”

The researchers are now working with US clinical biotech firm PharmaCyte Biotech to develop the research into new treatments.

研究人員目前正與美國臨牀生物科技公司PharmaCyte Biotech合作，將該項研究開發成新型療法。

PharmaCyte specialises in the development of targeted treatments for cancer and diabetes using its signature live cell encapsulation technology.

PharmaCyte公司運用其招牌技術——活細胞膠囊技術，專門研發癌症及糖尿病的靶向療法。

This technology, known as Cell-in-a-Box, is a key process in the commercialisation of the Melligen cell as a revolutionary treatment.

該技術被稱爲Cell-in-a-Box，是Melligen細胞成爲突破性療法、實現商業化的一大關鍵。

'This is a culmination of many years' work by our group and we look forward to working with PharmaCyte's Diabetes Consortium to utilise the Cell-in–a-Box technology to encapsulate the cells for preclinical trials aimed at curing diabetes,' said Professor Simpson.

辛普森教授說道，“這是我們團隊多年努力研究的結果，我們期待與PharmaCyte公司的糖尿病團隊合作，在治療糖尿病的臨牀前試驗中利用Cell-in–a-Box技術將細胞膠囊化。”

'We anticipate that the capsule technology will protect the Melligen cells from the body's immune response that normally destroys foreign tissue, allowing the Melligen cells to be transplanted into humans.'

“我們預計膠囊技術能保護Melligen細胞不被人體免疫系統當成外來組織破壞掉，以便順利植入人體。”

PharmaCyte's chief executive officer, Kenneth Waggoner, said: 'We at PharmaCyte consider ourselves to be very fortunate in having secured the exclusive world-wide licence to use the Melligen cells to develop a treatment for diabetes.

PharmaCyte首席執行官肯尼思•瓦戈納說道，“PharmaCyte有幸獲得全球獨家許可，運用Melligen細胞研發糖尿病療法，真的非常幸運。”

'For the millions of people worldwide who suffer from a disease of epidemic proportions, our treatment could relieve them of the onerous daily requirements for insulin administration and dietary restrictions and offer a life free from the very serious and even life-threatening complications associated with diabetes.'

“全球有數百萬人患有糖尿病，與流行病患者比例不相上下。糖尿病患者每日均需注射胰島素，飲食嚴格受限。糖尿病引起的併發症十分嚴重，甚至具有致命性。我們研發的療法可令這類患者從中這堆麻煩中解脫，且不再受併發症的折磨。”

With the World Health Organization attributing more than 1.5 million deaths to diabetes in 2012 and more than 422 million adults suffering from the disease in 2014, the development has the potential to impact millions of lives.

世界衛生組織稱，2012年有超過150萬人因患糖尿病而死亡，2014年有超4.22億成人患有糖尿病，這項研發可能令數百萬人受益。