HQ Team
October 15, 2024: A recent study presented at the United European Gastroenterology Week congress in Vienna unveiled a procedure that could significantly reduce insulin dependence in type 2 diabetes patients.
The study was carried out by Dr. Celine Busch and her team at Amsterdam University Medical Center, with a small group of 14 participants aged between 28 and 75 years, who were monitored over the course of 24 months.
The researchers found that 86% of participants no longer required insulin therapy after undergoing a treatment called Recellularization via Electroporation Therapy (ReCET).
Electroporation therapy, also known as electropermeabilization, is a technique that uses short, high-voltage electrical pulses to increase the permeability of cell membranes. This process allows various substances, such as drugs, DNA, or other molecules, to enter cells more effectively.
ReCET is an endoscopic procedure that applies electric pulses to create small holes in cell membranes within the duodenum. This technique is designed to regenerate metabolically active cells that improve insulin sensitivity. While the exact mechanism remains unclear, early results suggest it effectively modifies the disease rather than merely controlling symptoms.
Study overview
Following the ReCET procedure, which enhances the body’s sensitivity to its own insulin, participants adhered to a strict isocaloric liquid diet for two weeks before starting semaglutide, a medication that helps control blood sugar levels.
Key findings:
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- Insulin Independence: At the 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-ups, 12 out of 14 participants no longer needed insulin therapy.
- Safety Profile: No serious adverse effects were reported, and only one participant experienced mild nausea that prevented them from tolerating the maximum dose of semaglutide.
- Glycemic Control: Participants maintained HbA1c levels below 7.5%, indicating effective blood sugar management.
Dr. Busch emphasized that ReCET is a “compliance-free” treatment option, addressing a critical issue of medication adherence in diabetes management.
Dr. Busch noted that these results suggested “ReCET is a safe and feasible procedure that, when combined with semaglutide, can effectively eliminate the need for insulin therapy.”
“Unlike drug therapy, which requires daily medication adherence, ReCET is compliance-free, addressing the critical issue of ongoing patient adherence in the management of type 2 diabetes,” she said.
“In addition, the treatment is disease-modifying: it improves the patient’s sensitivity to their own (endogenous) insulin, tackling the root cause of the disease, as opposed to currently available drug therapies, that are at best disease-controlling.”
Need for innovative treatments
Globally, approximately 422 million people are living with type 2 diabetes, a condition characterized by insulin resistance or insufficient insulin production. Traditional management strategies often involve medications or insulin therapy, which can lead to side effects such as weight gain and increased costs.
Other diabetes complications include high blood sugar levels that can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and vision problems.
The financial burden of diabetes is significant too. In the U.S. alone, diabetes-related healthcare costs are estimated to exceed $327 billion annually.
Previous research
Other studies have indicated that procedures similar to ReCET can enhance glycemic control. For instance, hydrothermal ablation techniques have shown promise in improving metabolic health among T2D patients.
The research team plans to conduct larger randomized trials to validate these promising findings. The ongoing EMINENT-2 trial will further explore the efficacy of ReCET combined with semaglutide compared to a sham procedure. Dr. Busch noted that broader studies are necessary before ReCET can be widely implemented as a standard treatment for type 2 diabetes.
For more information on diabetes treatments and management strategies, consider visiting resources from Diabetes Care, The American Diabetes Association, and Mayo Clinic.
