Two Diabetes Breakthroughs: Stem Cell Therapy Reverses Type 2, Metformin Linked to Longevity

Scientists in China have reportedly reversed Type 2 diabetes in a patient using stem cell therapy, while a separate study suggests metformin may be linked to exceptional longevity in women with the disease. Both developments represent potential shifts in diabetes treatment, though experts urge caution pending larger trials.

Chinese researchers used stem cell technology to create insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells, which were then transplanted into a patient with Type 2 diabetes. The patient, who was previously dependent on insulin, is now said to be drug-free after receiving the lab-engineered pancreatic cells designed to restore natural insulin production. After treatment, the patient reportedly no longer required insulin injections or other diabetes medications.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin and, over time, the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. By restoring functioning insulin-producing cells, the therapy aims to correct the root cause of the disease rather than simply manage symptoms.

Medical experts stress that this appears to be an early-stage success. More patients must be studied. Long-term safety data is essential. It is unclear how durable the effect will be over years. There are also concerns about cost, accessibility, immune rejection risks, and whether the therapy will work in all patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Doctors say it is too early to call this a "cure." In medical science, reversal in one patient does not automatically mean permanent cure for all. Patients are advised not to stop their medication or change treatment plans without consulting their doctor.

Researchers are expected to conduct broader trials to evaluate effectiveness across different age groups, long-term insulin independence, risk of complications, and regulatory approvals.

In a separate analysis of postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, investigators found that those who began treatment with metformin were more likely to reach "exceptional longevity," meaning living to at least age 90. The study compared metformin with another commonly used class of diabetes medications, sulfonylureas.

The researchers found that women who used metformin had a 30% lower rate of death before age 90 than those who used sulfonylureas. The hazard ratio was 0.70, meaning the metformin group had about a 30% lower rate of death before age 90 during the study period.

The team used a method called "target trial emulation," which allows scientists to analyze existing data as if they were conducting a randomized trial. They relied on the Women's Health Initiative, a long-running U.S. study that enrolled more than 161,000 women in the 1990s and has tracked their health for over 30 years. More than 42,000 women are still participating.

From this large group, the researchers selected 438 postmenopausal women who developed type 2 diabetes and began treatment with either metformin alone or sulfonylurea. They carefully adjusted for differences such as age, health conditions, and lifestyle to make the two groups as comparable as possible.

The authors caution: "Because this comparison was not made to placebo in a randomized controlled trial and given the observational design with potential for residual confounding, causality cannot be inferred." The findings show an association, not proof that metformin directly extends life. Other factors—such as differences in disease severity or prescribing patterns—could partly explain the results.

Researchers often discuss metformin in the context of geroscience, a field that studies whether targeting the biology of aging could delay multiple diseases at once. Metformin affects several processes linked to aging, including insulin signaling, cellular stress, and DNA damage.

Researchers propose a new study for the future called the Targeting Aging with Metformin (TAME) trial to test whether metformin can delay the onset of several age-related conditions in older adults. But the researchers note that the trial has not yet begun because it still lacks sufficient funding.

Type 2 diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, nerve damage, and vision loss. Most patients manage the condition through diet, exercise, oral medicines, or insulin therapy. A treatment that restores natural insulin production could dramatically reduce long-term complications and healthcare costs.

Until large clinical trials confirm the findings, lifestyle management, medications, and insulin remain the standard of care.