Since 2000, we have completed 4 islet transplant trials involving 32 patients with type 1 diabetes.  All of the participants suffered from hypoglycemia unawareness before their transplant. This means they could not sense when their blood glucose was getting too low. This dangerous condition persisted despite the fact that these patients made intensive efforts to improve their blood glucose control with their diabetes care teams. 

Following are the outcomes of the transplant trials:

• All participants had immediate protection from hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) after their transplant.  
• More than 80 percent of our transplant recipients are still protected from severe hypoglycemia five years after their transplant. 
• About 90 percent of our recipients have become insulin-independent after their transplant; more than 50 percent have maintained insulin independence five years after their transplant. 
• None of our trial participants has experienced a serious, unexpected adverse event related to the islet transplant procedure or the immunosuppressive drugs they are taking. These drugs help suppress the body's immune system so that it will not attack the new islet cells as foreign invaders. 

Previously, such results were only been attainable by having a pancreas transplant.