News at UI Health

Dr. Pierpaolo Di Cocco, Dr. Enrico Benedetti, Edward "Ed" Augustin III, Dr. Lorenzo Gallon, and Jamie Ghafari (Photo: Jack Martin/UI Health

UI Health transplant surgeons Dr. Pierpaolo Di Cocco, Dr. Enrico Benedetti, and Dr. Lorenzo Gallon recently performed the first islet transplant with Lantidra, the only therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat brittle type 1 diabetes. Lantidra became available exclusively at UI Health last November.

“This is the first time in the United States that an islet transplant was no longer experimental, rather an FDA-approved medical procedure,” said Dr. Enrico Benedetti, head of the Department of Surgery at UI Health. “I’m proud of the research that was done [at UI Health] to develop Lantidra with our doctors and our faculty.”

A week after the transplant, the patient — Edward “Ed” Augustin III, a 69-year-old man from Libertyville, IL — was able to stop taking his daily, life-saving insulin injections.

Edward “Ed” Augustin III, meets with Dr. Enrico Benedetti, head of surgery at UI Health, during a post-operative appointment at UI Health. Augustin is the first person to receive an islet cell transplant with Lantidra. (Photo: Jack Martin/UI Health)

“The advantage of islet transplant is that there is no age limit. We would never dream of doing a pancreas transplant on someone Ed’s age, as the risks are too great,” Benedetti said. “With Lantidra, there are no surgical risks, and instead of being in the hospital for up to 12 days following an organ transplant, he was home within 24 hours.”

Ed called the procedure “life-changing.”

“I can be normal. This is huge,” he said. “I’m going from shots and reactions to no shots and no reactions. This is just huge for me!”

Augustin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 5 years old, and he regularly experienced severe low blood sugar and hypoglycemia unawareness. In one instance, Augustin recalled, he accidentally walked into a parked ambulance. When paramedics checked his blood sugar, it was at a dangerously low 10.

“When my blood sugar drops, it’s like I’m inebriated. I don’t remember anything,” Ed added.

This is the third time Ed has received an islet cell transplant. His first two procedures, in 2011, allowed him to live without insulin injections for 12 years, but by 2023 he once again required insulin injections daily to manage his diabetes.

Dr. Lorenzo Gallon, medical director of UI Health’s abdominal organ Transplant Program and director of transplant research and the transplant research laboratory at UIC, said the islet transplants have preserved Augustin’s health.

Edward “Ed” Augustin III tracks his blood sugar during a post-operative appointment at UI Health. Augustin maintained a healthy blood sugar level without the help of daily insulin injections. (Photo: Jack Martin/UI Health)

“Pancreatic islet cell therapy not only helps treat hypoglycemic unawareness but may also help prevent kidney damage caused by diabetes if used early, before complications like diabetic nephropathy develop,” he said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 1.4 million people in the United States have type 1 diabetes. Roughly 80,000 people have brittle type 1 diabetes, a more severe form of type 1 diabetes. The disease can lead to blindness, kidney failure, limb amputation, stroke and heart attack.

UI Health partners with individual patients’ health insurance to obtain coverage for Lantidra. Visit the Islet Cell Transplant Program to learn more.

Disclaimer: This press release is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to promote or advertise any product. The information presented herein reflects the current status of Lantidra as of the date of publication. For complete and detailed information on the product, including its approved uses, dosing and safety profile, please refer to the full prescribing information or consult with a healthcare professional. UI Health makes no representations regarding the future availability or efficacy of the product, and the content provided should not be construed as medical advice.