PolTREG has presented an innovative method for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus at the 80th Conference of the American Diabetes Association

Researchers from the Polish Consortium PolTREG and STRATEGMED TREGS presented the initial results of phase II trial assessing regulatory T cells (Tregs) during the 80th Conference of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The Polish company operates in the same area as the American company Provention Bio, which has presented a method for the treatment of presymptomatic patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) during the same event. The American company’s portfolio includes teplizumab (in the pre-commercial phase), an antibody reducing the risk of T1DM occurrence in patients at risk of disease development. The estimated value of the US company listed on NASDAQ amounts to USD 694 million .

The company from Gdańsk also offers cell therapy for T1DM patients with the aim of achieving similar effects, i.e. to reduce the process of destroying a patient’s cells secreting endogenous insulin. With such therapy, similarly to Provention Bio company, the disease progression can be slowed down. Thus, the patient’s pancreas can still secrete insulin.

What is the innovative method?

Researchers from the Medical University of Gdańsk have developed an innovative method of cell therapy for newly diagnosed T1DM patients. In those patients, the regulatory T cells (Tregs) count is often too low, or they do not reach the pancreas at the right time. This can result in a situation where their immune cells start to attack and destroy insulin-secreting pancreatic cells. The TREG method patented by Polish researchers involves the collection of a patient’s Tregs. Next, the cells undergo a proliferation process in the laboratory and are returned to the patient’s body. By increasing the Tregs count in the body, newly diagnosed T1DM patients receive the chance to maintain at least some level of pancreatic function.

– It is believed that deficiency or abnormal function of the immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs) is one of the reasons for developing an autoimmune disease such as type 1 diabetes mellitus. Our method involves the collection of a patient’s Tregs, their proliferation under special laboratory conditions and finally their return to the patient’s body via an intravenous infusion. Increasing the count of Tregs allows us to limit, and in some cases even stop, the disease progression – explains Prof. Piotr Trzonkowski, MD, PhD, the President of PolTREG. The TREG method often enables patients to preserve a better level of quality of life, and in some cases, to also delay the moment when insulin therapy must be initiated. The use of our method also potentially allows for the reduction of the required doses of insulin and to limit the severity of the commonly observed diabetic complications.

Plans for the future – commercialisation of the method

Currently, this method is only available to those patients who have qualified for clinical trials or under the so-called hospital exemption. The therapy is carried out only at the University Clinical Centre in Gdańsk. Dr Mariusz Jabłoński, a member of the Management Board of PolTREG and PAAN Capital partner, discusses the plans for the commercialisation of the method. PolTREG is amongst the global leaders offering advanced therapy addressing the underlying cause of patients’ newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. The commercialisation of the method would enable the expansion of the minimal number of patients recruited to evaluate that treatment. We also plan to be listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. That will allow us to acquire additional funding for the extension of our laboratories, thereby enabling us to increase the production process.

MSLGROUP
ul. Wołoska 9
02-583 Warsaw, Poland
Weronika Rudecka

Telefon: +48 22 278 38 00
Email weronika.rudecka@mslgroup.com

POLTREG was established as a spin-off from the Medical University of Gdańsk to develop and commercialise the patented TREG method. The company’s mission – as the only entity entitled to implement the findings of research in the area of regulatory T cells and to use the method of their growth – is to share this breakthrough therapy with as many sick children as possible.

This release was published on openPR.