Autologous Dendritic Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes Suppression: A Safety Study

The proposed studies describe a randomized trial to evaluate the safety of a new diabetes-suppressive cell vaccine, consisting of autologous monocyte-derived dendritic cells treated ex vivo with antisense phosphorothioate-modified oligonucleotides targeting the primary transcripts of the CD40, CD80 and CD86 co-stimulatory molecules (immunoregulatory DC; iDC). The hypothesis to be tested in this study is that iDC are safe and without toxicity in established type 1 diabetic patients. Fifteen (15) individuals exhibiting fully-established, insulin-dependent type 1 diabetics, without any diabetes-related complications, infectious disease, or other medical anomaly, will be enrolled to establish safety of the approach. 7/15 volunteers will be administered autologous control dendritic cells and 8/15 will be administered iDC. The study is anticipated to be complete by twelve (12) months. Currently, other than a humanized anti-CD3 antibody with considerable side effects, there is no other means to reverse new-onset type 1 diabetes. These studies will be the first ever to employ autologous dendritic cell transfer to suppress an autoimmune disease and to perhaps reverse it early on in the clinical process.