RE:Agree Sernova's site is vague... MIGHT have been... This is an effort to discuss possibilities for future full use of the Sernova pouch in the “near” future. I am responding primarily to ideas expressed by Sonny, Medstock, Jwallis, and Biotec.
First, as it presently exists in relation to Diabetes, I can only see it being of interest to the present group who are being considered for the trial. That is people who have very severe inability to be aware of impending or occurring insulin shock.
Before it can be practical for even those who are in this category there has to be a medical analysis of whether anything else can be done as the use of immune system suppressing drugs cause at the least (as far as I am aware) serious danger if infection occurs while the drugs are in use. Conversely I believe that with the cessation of use of the pouch and of immune suppression if there is a reason the suppression causes severe problems I can see the return of the patient to insulin injection and the return of regular immunity.
I question that the use of continuous glucose monitoring as in every 5 minutes could alert the patient that insulin shock is coming on even if the patient cannot feel it and action with glucose tablets could avert it. If I were in such a situation I would, together with my doctor, seriously consider all options before going down the path of immune suppression.
There are two methods being considered by Sernova to eliminate the need to suppress the immune system and they are keeping those cards very close to the vest. Those methods are loosely referred to as Microencapsulation, and/or cells produced via a use of stem cells in some fashion.
Unless one of those two methods, or some other - unforeseen at the moment, can be perfected I cannot see going ahead with volume in use of the pouch for diabetes.
That being said I believe there will be a solution found and the pouch will become the preferred solution.
On the other hand I believe the use of the pouch for Hemophilia will be a relatively fast use since it uses the patient’s own cells as modified to produce the needed factor
As I understand it the use for Thyroid is also a use I think may be faster to be developed.
Certainly a very interesting time for Sernova.