Chicago City Wire

UI Health surgeons have performed the first islet cell transplant in the United States using Lantidra, a therapy recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for brittle type 1 diabetes. The procedure took place at UI Health, where Lantidra has been available exclusively since November of last year.

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

The recipient of this transplant was Edward “Ed” Augustin III, a 69-year-old resident of Libertyville, Illinois. A week after his surgery, Augustin was able to stop taking daily insulin injections.

Benedetti noted the benefits of this approach compared to traditional pancreas transplants: “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,” he 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.”

Augustin described his experience as transformative: “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!”

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age five, Augustin has long struggled with severe low blood sugar episodes and hypoglycemia unawareness—a condition where individuals do not recognize symptoms before their blood sugar drops dangerously low.

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

This marks Augustin’s third islet cell transplant; previous procedures in 2011 allowed him to live without insulin injections for twelve years before he needed them again in 2023.

Dr. Lorenzo Gallon serves as medical director of UI Health’s abdominal organ Transplant Program and leads transplant research at UIC. He highlighted broader health implications: “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,” Gallon said.

According to data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over 1.4 million people in the U.S. have type 1 diabetes; about 80,000 are affected by brittle type 1 diabetes—a more severe form associated with increased risk for serious complications such as blindness or kidney failure.

UI Health works with patients’ health insurance providers to secure coverage for Lantidra treatment.

For more information about UI Health's Islet Cell Transplant Program or details regarding Lantidra's use and safety profile, individuals are encouraged to consult healthcare professionals or visit program resources online.