Improved pancreatic islet isolations using a highly automated technique

Pancreatic Islet Separation Method [PRISM] is hypothesized to yield qualitatively better pancreatic islets for transplantation

Diabetes type-I is caused by a selective immune-destruction of insulin-producing beta cells from pancreatic islets in the pancreas. The loss of beta cell function leads to elevated blood glucose levels ultimately causing diabetic complications such as blindness, impaired wound healing, amputation of extremities and kidney failure.  In patients where the standard insulin injection therapy is insufficient, beta cell replacement therapy [pancreas transplantation / pancreatic islet transplantation] is an alternative treatment option. The PRISM [Pancreatic Islet Separation Method] method and accompanying PRISM machine were previously hypothesized and shown to make the isolation of pancreatic islet from human donor organs more efficient, with compelling results. In this project it is tested whether the PRISM isolation method is as good as, or better than, the classic islet isolation method.

The PRISM method encompasses the first major change in the pancreatic islet isolation technique in decades. Since the onset of the protocol, a 3-5 man team was engaged in a clinical pancreatic islet isolation. With the PRISM technique, only one person can perform an islet isolation, giving rise to smaller teams and lower cost per isolation.

The Leiden University Medical Center and the Starfish company collaborate on this comparative study with the intent to improve islet isolation locally, and generate intellectual property (IP) that can be used for production of this technology within the collaboration, or license the IP to third parties.

The DON Foundation [Diabetes Onderzoek Nederland] is focussed at supporting research to find a cure for type-I diabetes. With help of the DON Foundation the PRISM technology is aimed at providing more pancreatic islets to more people with type-I diabetes

Summary
Pancreatic islet transplantation is used to cure patients with unstable glucose metabolism and progressive diabetic complications. The novel PRISM islet isolation method is tested to determine whether it yield higher quality islets more efficiently.
Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
3 - 6
Time period
1 year
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