Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced Tuesday that it plans to acquire an ambitious startup for $950 million, betting the company’s early-stage science could lead to a functional cure for type 1 diabetes.
The Boston company is buying Semma Therapeutics, a nearby firm turning stem cells into insulin factories. Based on the work of Harvard University stem cell scientist Douglas Melton, Semma’s approach involves turning moldable stem cells into beta cells, the insulin-producing machinery that is mistakenly attacked by the immune system in type 1 diabetes.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT Plus and enjoy your first 30 days free!
GET STARTEDWhat is it?
STAT Plus is STAT's premium subscription service for in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis. Our award-winning team covers news on Wall Street, policy developments in Washington, early science breakthroughs and clinical trial results, and health care disruption in Silicon Valley and beyond.
What's included?
- Daily reporting and analysis
- The most comprehensive industry coverage from a powerhouse team of reporters
- Subscriber-only newsletters
- Daily newsletters to brief you on the most important industry news of the day
- Online intelligence briefings
- Frequent opportunities to engage with veteran beat reporters and industry experts
- Exclusive industry events
- Premium access to subscriber-only networking events around the country
- The best reporters in the industry
- The most trusted and well-connected newsroom in the health care industry
- And much more
- Exclusive interviews with industry leaders, profiles, and premium tools, like our CRISPR Trackr.
About the Author
It would be wonderful if a cure is found for type 1 diabetes. Since this desease attacks primarily children. Although, my daughter was diagnosed at 21. This diagnosis has not only affected my daughter, but it devastated our whole family. Please keep working on this, it would safe the lives of so many children suffering from this horrible disease. Thank you for for working on a type 1 diabetes cure.
Miriam Brenn
Can we expect clinical trials without the need for anti rejection drugs?
I can appreciate Dr. Melton’s work, that of lab grown islet cells. However, the idea of either micro or macro encapsulating these cells will never work. This has been tried ad nauseam for over 30 years now. Off the top of my head I can think of 7 companies that have tried and failed at encapsulating islet cells. Viacyte is another company that is currently attempting this and failing. Enough with this idea that you can put islet cells in a closed environment and expect them to work and that the immune response will not wall them off.
I am glad you were not around when the Wright Brothers tried flying a plane.
I feel like it’s not necessarily failing but more than likely a “how can we make money.” I feel like that’s the primary concern on everyone’s minds when they are on the edge of a breakthrough.
This is what I’ve been wishing for since I was diagnosed in 1969 and I would love to help make this dream come true for all T1Diabetics! Please contact me when you need a human test subject or if I can help in any way!
Amazing!
Nice efforts
Getting ready to start year #35 with T1D. Would be more than willing to come up to Boston to be a human guinea pig so others never have to experience this disease for multiple decades.
I am Type 1 for 57 years. Also, I am a retired RN.
Like your encouraging news.
When you need volunteers, I am ready.
Rebekah Tannehill
rebekahrn1@gmail.com.
740-405-8771