Strategies to Improve Long Term Islet Graft Survival and Extended Follow Up after Islet Transplantation in Type 1 Diabetes

The CIT consortium conducted a total of 9 studies across North America (CIT02 through CIT08) and the Nordic region (CIT01). CIT08 was a long-term follow-up study for interested participants at the North American sites. The target population was individuals with type 1 diabetes, normal kidney function, and intractable hypoglycemia. All studies treated participants with up to 3 separate infusions of islets. The CIT02 protocol focused on treating islets pre-transplant, and subjects were randomized to receive islets prepared with either Lisofylline or Exenatide. For induction and maintenance immunosuppression, the subjects received rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG; basiliximab instead of ATG for the 2nd and 3rd transplants, if applicable), etanercept, sirolimus, and tacrolimus in an open-label fashion.