Does RMS’s therapy require an implantable device?

No. RMS’s iPSC-based therapy does not require the use of an implantable device, another feature that distinguishes it from some other cell therapy approaches currently in development for diabetes.

Some cell therapy programs use implantable encapsulation devices to protect transplanted cells from immune attack. These devices physically shield the cells from the recipient’s immune system, reducing or eliminating the need for immunosuppressive drugs. While this approach has shown promise, implantable devices introduce their own clinical complexities: they require surgical implantation and retrieval, may trigger foreign body responses, need to allow sufficient oxygen and nutrient exchange to keep the enclosed cells alive, and raise questions about durability and long-term function.

RMS’s approach to immune compatibility is designed to work at the cellular level rather than through physical encapsulation, using iPSC-derived cells that are inherently less likely to trigger an immune response, without the additional procedural burden of an implantable device. Eliminating the need for a device simplifies the clinical procedure, reduces the surgical risk to patients, and removes a significant source of complexity in the manufacturing and regulatory process.

Learn more about our diabetes stem cell therapy.