Sponsored Content by EvotecReviewed by Ify IsiborSep 18 2026
Islet replacement provides a safe and effective therapy for type 1 diabetes, without the drawbacks inherent to insulin injections.
Treatment with allogeneic donor islets or non-modified stem cell-derived islets, however, requires lifelong immunosuppression, which is linked to considerable side effects and negatively impacts islet function.
In this poster, Evotec reports on its new generation of ready-to-use iPSC-derived islet-like clusters (ILCs), which have been genetically protected from both allorejection and autoimmunity, while maintaining a safety kill-switch and operating in a similar way to wild-type islets for next-generation T1D treatment approaches.
Figure 1. Implemented gene edits to equip iPSC-derived ILCs with a kill-switch (a) and immune-shielding (b). * Immune-shielded cells and data in this poster refer to Generation 1. Image Credit: Evotec
GMP-compatible engineering process and quality control of immune-shielded and kill-switch-edited iPSC clones
Figure 2. Streamlined, CRISPR-based gene engineering process. A GMP-compatible iPSC line was electroporated with FailSafe® constructs and underwent marker-based enrichment. Clones were subsequently isolated by automated single-cell seeding with imaging-based proof of clonality, and seed banks were validated for correct gene editing, genetic integrity, and maintained pluripotency. Immune-shielding was introduced into a selected FailSafe® clone by a comparable process prior to banking and QC of a FailSafe® + immune-shielded clonal master cell bank (MCB). Image Credit: Evotec
While the figures above provide a snapshot of the technology, the full poster offers a deeper look at the gene engineering strategy, immune-shielding approach, GMP-compatible manufacturing process, and key development considerations for next-generation T1D therapies.
About Evotec
Evotec is a life science company that is pioneering the future of drug discovery and development. By integrating breakthrough science with AI-driven innovation and advanced technologies, we accelerate the journey from concept to cure – faster, smarter, and with greater precision. Our expertise spans small molecules, biologics, cell therapies and associated modalities, supported by proprietary platforms such as Molecular Patient Databases, PanOmics and iPSC-based disease modeling.
With flexible partnering models tailored to our customers’ needs, we work with all Top 20 Pharma companies, over 800 biotechs, academic institutions, and healthcare stakeholders. Our offerings range from standalone services to fully integrated R&D programs and long-term strategic partnerships, combining scientific excellence with operational agility.
Through Just – Evotec Biologics, we redefine biologics development and manufacturing to improve accessibility and affordability. With a strong portfolio of over 100 proprietary R&D assets, most of them being co-owned, we focus on key therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurology, and immunology.
Evotec’s global team of more than 4,500 experts operates from sites in Europe and the U.S., offering complementary technologies and services as synergistic centers of excellence. Learn more at www.evotec.com and follow us LinkedIn and X/Twitter @Evotec.
Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.net, which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.