Eledon Pharmaceuticals has become one of the most closely watched companies in the type 1 diabetes research space after an investigator-led study where islet cell recipients were given the targeted immunosuppressant tegoprubart and were able to stop taking insulin.

One of those trial participants, Katie Beth Hand, came on the podcast to share more about the procedure and what life is like being functionally cured of type 1 or what she calls “un-diabetic.” This week Eledon’s CEO, Dr. David-Alexandre Gros, joined us on the podcast to discuss how the company was founded, why its approach to funding is unusual for a biotech, and how tegoprubart, a drug originally developed for ALS, became a potential option for people receiving islet cell transplants.

Tegoprupart, also called “tego” for short, is designed to work differently from traditional immunosuppressants. Rather than broadly suppressing the immune system, the drug targets the communication between immune cells in an effort to prevent them from attacking transplanted cells. Gross explains why this could be particularly significant for people with T1D, as existing immunosuppressants can have serious side effects. Our interview also explores the 12-person trial, why participants were selected, how long they have remained insulin independent, and what ongoing treatment with tego currently looks like.

The conversation also covers the availability and cost of donor islet cells, efforts to change how islet transplantation is regulated, and Eledon’s plans for tegoprubart. These developments offer a look at where islet cell transplantation could be headed and what it may take to make these therapies available to more people living with type 1 diabetes.

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