Century Therapeutics announces new beta islet program for Type 1 diabetes

Century Therapeutics (IPSC) announced its first program for Type 1 diabetes, CNTY-813. The program comprises iPSC-derived beta islets engineered with the company’s proprietary Allo-Evasion 5.0 technology, designed to protect from T cell, NK cell and humoral immune rejection, with the goal of durable glycemic control without the need for systemic immunosuppression. Century has generated in vitro and in vivo preclinical data demonstrating: Rapid and sustained glucose control in streptozotocin-induced diabetic models following transplantation of iPSC-derived beta islets, including maintenance of normoglycemia and human C-peptide production. Significant in vitro function, including glucose-stimulated insulin secretion with stimulation indices consistent with mature beta cell phenotypes. Allo-Evasion 5.0 enables immune protection with knockout of human leukocyte antigen class I and II, expression of CD300a-based pan-NK inhibitory ligand and immunoglobulin-degrading enzyme that reduces antibody-dependent cellular toxicity, resulting in preserved cell survival in NK cytotoxicity and ADCC assays. Century expects to initiate IND-enabling studies by year-end 2025 and plans to submit an IND application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as early as 2026.