Page 363 - Binder2

● But because it couldn’t let go of the world it built—
even when a better one was sprouting right in front
of it.

6.7 – Oral Insulin in Lettuce – A Disruption That
Works

Lettuce-Grown Insulin: A Paradigm Shift in Diabetes
Care

In 2015, researchers led by Dr. Henry Daniell at the
University of Pennsylvania published a quietly
revolutionary study: they had successfully expressed
proinsulin and CTB-proinsulin fusion proteins in the
chloroplasts of lettuce. These plants were freeze-dried,
ground into powder, and encapsulated. When orally
administered to diabetic mice, the bioencapsulated insulin
survived digestion, was absorbed in the gut, and—
critically—triggered immune tolerance rather than
rejection.

The results were stunning:

● Reduced immune attack on pancreatic beta cells
● Increased regulatory T cells (Tregs)
● Preservation of endogenous insulin production
● Shelf-stable product with no refrigeration required

The program advanced to a Phase 1/2 clinical trial
(NCT02715555) to assess its potential to not just
supplement insulin, but to retrain the immune system and
halt the progression of Type 1 diabetes. It was needle-free,

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