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Stem cell therapies for diabetes

Nature Medicine volume 31, pages 2147–2160 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Diabetes has long-term, potentially severe implications for healthspan and lifespan and imposes an immense burden on global healthcare, the economy and society. Although a repertoire of medications is available to treat diabetes, these do not properly address the eventual lack of functional pancreatic beta cells that are needed to secrete insulin and maintain glucose homeostasis. Human islet cell transplantation from deceased donors is an established treatment for insulin-requiring type 1 diabetes, but demand outstrips supply. Substantial scientific and clinical progress has occurred in the last decade toward deriving pancreatic islet-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells, suggesting a potentially limitless solution to the supply issue and a new era in cell therapy for diabetes. Here, we critically review the scientific advances, the clinical trials and the various regulatory considerations that will need to be overcome for human stem cell-derived pancreatic islet-like cells to become the next cell therapy breakthrough for diabetes treatment.

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Fig. 1: Recent protocol advancements to generate hPS cell-derived islet/beta-like cells.
Fig. 2: Recent innovations and lessons from clinical trials.
Fig. 3: Envisioned manufacturing process for hPS cell-derived islet/beta-like cell therapy.

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Acknowledgements

We thank members of the laboratory of A.K.K.T. for critical reading and feedback. J.T.C. is supported by the A*STAR Graduate Academy. A.K.K.T. is supported by IMCB, A*STAR, HLTRP/2022/NUS-IMCB-02, OFIRG21jun-0097, CSASI21jun-0006, MTCIRG21-0071, HLCA23Feb0031, SC36/19-000801-A044, H24G1a0015 and M24N2K0087.

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Juin Ting Chen, Nidheesh Dadheech, Eddie Han Pin Tan.

  2. These authors jointly supervised this work: Mickey Boon Chai Koh, James Shapiro, Adrian Kee Keong Teo.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stem Cells and Diabetes Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore

    Juin Ting Chen, Natasha Hui Jin Ng & Adrian Kee Keong Teo

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Juin Ting Chen & Adrian Kee Keong Teo

  3. Clinical Islet Transplant Program, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Nidheesh Dadheech & James Shapiro

  4. Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Nidheesh Dadheech & James Shapiro

  5. Cell and Gene Therapy Facility, Health Sciences Authority, Singapore, Singapore

    Eddie Han Pin Tan & Mickey Boon Chai Koh

  6. Infection and Immunity CAG, City St Georges, University of London, London, UK

    Mickey Boon Chai Koh

  7. Dept of Haematology, St George’s Hospitals, London, UK

    Mickey Boon Chai Koh

  8. Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Adrian Kee Keong Teo

  9. Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Adrian Kee Keong Teo

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  1. Juin Ting Chen
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Contributions

Conceptualization, C.J.T. and A.K.K.T.; Writing—original draft, C.J.T., N.D. and E.H.P.T.; Writing—review and editing, C.J.T., N.D., E.H.P.T., N.H.J.N., M.B.C.K., J.S. and A.K.K.T.; Supervision, A.K.K.T.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to James Shapiro or Adrian Kee Keong Teo.

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Competing interests

N.H.J.N. and A.K.K.T. are cofounders and shareholders of BetaLife but are not employed by BetaLife. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.

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Chen, J.T., Dadheech, N., Tan, E.H.P. et al. Stem cell therapies for diabetes. Nat Med 31, 2147–2160 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03767-8

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