Lilly and Sigilon Therapeutics to develop new diabetes therapies

Lilly has announced a new collaboration with Sigilon Therapeutics that will aim to discover new treatment options for people with type 1 diabetes.

The alliance aims to produce encapsulated cell therapies for the potential treatment of type 1 diabetes, with Sigilon to create proprietary products comprised of induced pluripotent stem cells, a type of stem cell derived from adult cells.

These will be engineered into differentiated insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells and encapsulated using Sigilon's signature Afibromer technology, enabling the creation of therapies that restore insulin production over sustained periods without triggering an immune reaction.

Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will receive an exclusive worldwide licence to Sigilon's Afibromer technology for islet cell encapsulation, with Lilly also set to make an undisclosed equity investment in Sigilon.

Dr Daniel Skovronsky, senior vice-president for clinical and product development and incoming president of Lilly Research Labs, said: "We are excited to be collaborating with and investing in Sigilon as they seek to develop encapsulated cell therapies, a potentially disruptive technology that could result in meaningful clinical advancements for chronic diseases such as type 1 diabetes."

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