Agree Sernova's site is vague... MIGHT have been...MS2:
Agree that Sernova's website is vague (and the present iteration is a bit of a mess); see below what you were probably looking at (apologies for teh formatting). As implied by my post that it was my understanding that immunsuppression won't be needed when mainstream... maybe it was in older news, a presentation no longer on Sernova's website (not sure why they are not kept on). No time to try to dig anything up as I have an appointment...
For sure with the FDA trial, no chances could be taken and immunosuppresion is being used to ensure success as efficacy is what is the present goal.
You might have remembered a much earlier post where a friend of mine saw one from the old Shapiro trial down in Mexico on holiday and who was very happy with the pouch... definitely not conclusive, but goes to cause.
jwall
https://www.sernova.com/technology/#Cell_Pouch_System
Immune protection of cells within the Cell Pouch System™
We have shown that cells can be protected using medications that prevent immune system attack within the Cell Pouch™.
Microencapsulation technologies house cells within the cell pouch chambers to protect the cell from immune system attack.
Technologies are in development to make transplanted cells unrecognizable to the immune system.
Sernova’s Cell Pouch™, combined with immune protected therapeutic cells, offers a protection from immune system attack creating an effective, safe, long-term and convenient therapeutic option for patients with chronic diseases who seek to improve their quality of life.
- The Cell Pouch™ is an implantable, scalable device, consistently shown capable of housing islets within a natural tissue matrix supported by microvessels
- Microencapsulated cells, housed in a polymer sphere, allow the flow of nutrients and insulin through pores, thus preventing immune cells attack
- Microvessels in the tissue matrix within the Cell Pouch™ associate with encapsulated cells
- This approach is expected to reduce or eliminate the need for anti-rejection drugs and provide a safe environment for unlimited sources of cells
- Preclinical Safety, encapsulated islet survival and efficacy have been shown in a large animal immune competent diabetes model within the Cell Pouch™
- The Cell Pouch™, which creates an ideal vascularized tissue environment for cells plus local microencapsulation of cells within the Cell Pouch is expected to provide a non-toxic platform for the treatment of chronic diseases