If you’ve been reading the NZ Herald this week, you’ll have seen two articles regarding the work which Living Cell Technologies, who are leading the worldwide experiments around pig cell transplants into T1s, with some amazing results so far.
Whether or not you believe this is going to be the breakthrough which gives us the most hope for being cured of diabetes in our lifetime (and whether or not you think you could afford the $100k price tag to make it happen!), I think everyone would agree that it is absolutely awesome that so much work is going into our cause.
The article which came out on Wednesday (“Stunning progress in diabetes treatment“) talked about the current progress of the program (there are presently two patients who’ve been part of the trial who are off insulin completely), the need to build a new $2.5 million facility in Invercargill to house up to 50 pigs in a safe, germ free environment, and that they are STILL waiting for a final sign off from the MoH, Tony Ryall for trials to start in NZ. I thought this had been signed off at the end of last year? **
Anyway… it was more the article in yesterday’s paper which I thought was the most interesting. “Fix it mentality behind drive to beat diabetes” talks about the man pictured top left, David Collinson (thanks to NZ Herald for the pic). Mr Collinson is the founder of Living Cell Technologies, formerly Diatranz. In 1987 his 2 year old son was diagnosed with T1 and he sprung into action, not only pouring “millions of dollars” over the years into the company, but putting his life and soul into getting the best people involved to propel his vision for finding a way to cure T1 diabetes. He was instrumental in convincing Prof Bob Elliot to resume research he’d started some decades earlier, and now LCT is seemingly on the brink of solidifying some major progress in the treatment of T1 diabetes.
Mr Collinson is seriously ill with melanoma which has significantly spread, but according to the Herald he continues to push the cause forward.
This post is my personal thank you to this amazing man – thank you Mr Collinson. Please add your thanks in the comments box and I’ll email him to pass on our message.
** EDIT: I just read a press release from LCT about the trials in NZ:
19 June 2009: Living Cell Technologies Limited today announced the Company has accepted a preliminary decision from the New Zealand Minister of Health, the Honourable Tony Ryall, to issue a new conditional authorization for its New Zealand Phase I/IIa clinical trial of DIABECELL® for insulin dependent diabetes.
The Minister’s letter states that “the proposed condition that would require (LCT) to amend the inclusion criteria of (LCT’s) study to limit participation in the study to patients with brittle diabetes who suffer from significant metabolic instability is essential to ensure that the study complies with international guidelines, which require that participants obtain maximum benefit possible from their participation in the study”.
The other proposed changes to the existing conditions are matters that LCT has agreed are appropriate during the peer review process, or are changes of a procedural, rather than a substantive nature ….”
The Company said that the clinical protocol for the New Zealand diabetes trial has already been amended according to the proposed new conditions from the Minister. LCT is pleased to have worked with the Ministry of Health to finalise the protocols for the clinical trial of DIABECELL®.
Posted in Community, Science & Research
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6 comments have been made on this post
Debs wrote
Thanks for posting this Nic. I saw this in the paper and was intending on trying to find a way to contact him to pass on my thanks. Now I can do it here so here goes….
Mr Collinson
As the mother of a 13 yr old son with Type 1, I would like to express my thanks and admiration for all you have done in the name of Type 1 Diabetes. I only wish that I had the same tenacity as you so that I may also leave my mark on this disease.
Alas, I don’t, so I, like many others, rely on good people such as yourself and Dr Elliot and co to further the cause on behalf of our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, siblings and anyone else who may be affected by D.
Again, Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Nic wrote
Thanks for this, Debs. Come on other people, would love it if you could add your thanks here.
Nic
cherie wrote
Mr Collinson,
I am a 42 year old mother of two and have T1 myself. I have a 13 year old boy also and my hat goes off to you for what you are doing for your son, infact for all of us type 1s.
Its people like you that give us hope. Thank you so much for the work and devotion you have put into this. What can I say your amazing.
Cherie
Aaron wrote
Dear Mr Collison,
Very rarely in life are people prepared to show the sort of love and dedication to a cause to the level which you have. Financially and emotionally you have obviously used all of what is available to you to make a REAL difference to the lives of many, many people here in NZ and all over the world with the work you have undertaken.
While it is hard to express the sincere thanks which are undoubtedly due to you, my hope is that ‘thank you – you have made a difference to our lives’ will suffice because you have. We are grateful for you work and we are grateful for you.
- Aaron
Tom wrote
I too rec’d the email about Mr Collinson’s passing. I am the father of a teenager also diagnosed at age two. It’s my deepest wish that he can be freed from the threat this disease holds over him. I hope Mr Collinson’s work will bear fruit and that the treatment will be made affordable to all who need it.
Tom