Could a parathyroid gland help cure diabetes? small trial tests Co-Transplant

NCT ID NCT03977662

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This small pilot study tested whether transplanting pancreatic islets together with parathyroid glands into the muscle could help people with type 1 diabetes stop using insulin. The 4 participants already had a functioning kidney or liver transplant and were on lifelong immunosuppression. The main goals were to check safety and see if the procedure leads to insulin independence.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Co-transplantation of pancreatic islets and parathyroid glands from a deceased donor

What this could lead to

If it works, this could offer a way to achieve insulin independence in people with type 1 diabetes who already have a kidney or liver transplant.

What could go wrong

This is a very small pilot study with only 4 participants, so results may not apply to others. The approach requires lifelong immunosuppression, which carries risks of infection and other side effects.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

type 1 diabetes mellitus

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of California

    San Francisco, California, 94143, United States