Implant Could Replace Insulin Injections for Diabetics

MIT researchers develop device that keeps insulin-producing cells alive for 90 days without immune suppression

Mar. 30, 2026 at 8:07pm

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Researchers at MIT have developed a small, implantable device that can keep insulin-producing cells alive for up to 90 days without the need for immunosuppressant drugs. The device, roughly the size of a large postage stamp, uses an internal oxygen generator to provide the cells with the oxygen they need to survive, overcoming a key limitation of previous encapsulation approaches.

Why it matters

This breakthrough could be a game-changer for people with Type 1 diabetes, who currently rely on daily insulin injections and constant glucose monitoring. An implant that can produce insulin long-term without the need for immunosuppressant drugs would significantly reduce the burden of managing the disease.

The details

The device works by encapsulating transplanted insulin-producing islet cells and providing them with a continuous supply of oxygen generated within the device itself. This is achieved through a proton exchange membrane that splits water vapor in the body to produce oxygen gas, which then diffuses into the cell compartment. The device is powered wirelessly, eliminating the need for a physical connection. Early experiments in mice and rats showed the device was able to maintain normal blood glucose levels for up to 90 days.

  • The device was able to keep insulin-producing cells alive for 90 days in animal studies.
  • The researchers are now working towards a two-year survival target for the implant.

The players

Daniel Anderson

A professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at MIT and the principal investigator of the study.

Siddharth Krishnan

The lead author of the paper and now an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University.

Matthew Bochenek

The second lead author of the paper.

MIT Researchers

The team of researchers at MIT who developed the implantable device.

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What they’re saying

“Our objective is to develop a means of providing the benefits of cell therapy to patients without the requirement of immune suppression.”

— Daniel Anderson, Professor, Chemical Engineering Department, MIT

“One month is a reasonable time frame to initially demonstrate the feasibility of our device for performing basic proof-of-concept experiments. From a translational perspective, maintaining normoglycemia for up to 90 days is closely tied to how long insulin-producing cells can be sustained under physiological conditions.”

— Siddharth Krishnan, Lead Author, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University

“We believe there is a lot of opportunity for the cells to stay longer in culture. That would allow them to function more like a normal pancreas and produce a more physiologic amount of insulin.”

— Matthew Bochenek, Second Lead Author

What’s next

The research team is now working towards a two-year survival target for the implant and exploring applications beyond diabetes, such as for diseases that require repeated delivery of proteins, enzymes, or antibodies.

The takeaway

This implantable device represents a significant step forward in the quest to provide people with Type 1 diabetes a long-term solution that reduces the daily burden of managing their condition. If successful in human trials, it could revolutionize the treatment of diabetes and potentially other diseases requiring ongoing therapeutic interventions.