is to develop a therapy that combines in vivo1） gene therapy2） with our proprietary Direct Reprogramming (DR) technology, which enables ultra-high efficiency cell transformation of approximately 80% or more in vitro.
This in vivo DR therapy aims to produce insulin3）-producing cells by directly differentiating somatic cells in vivo. This technology has the potential to significantly improve the problems associated with conventional therapy, such as hypoglycemia caused by excess of insulin injections and side effects caused by the use of immunosuppressive drugs associated with islet transplantation.
This groundbreaking technology could be applicable of high efficiency and safety therapy toward intractable diseases such as type 1 diabetes.
Term Explanation
1） in vivo
It means inside the body.
2） gene therapy
A medical treatment that uses healthy genes to fix or replace faulty ones that cause disease.
3） insulin
· ex vivo
It means outside the body.
· cell therapy
A treatment that uses live cells to repair or replace damaged tissues or help the body fight disease. Specifically, the patient's cells are harvested, processed and cultured in a laboratory. After that, the cells are then returned to the patient's body to treat the disease or injury.