▁The ▁current ▁ 6 - month ▁study ▁lead ▁by ▁the ▁B ionic ▁Pan cre as ▁team ▁started ▁in ▁mid - 2 0 1 8 ▁and ▁en rolled ▁ 3 1 2 ▁participants ▁of ▁ages ▁ 1 8 ▁and ▁above . ▁ ▁Phys i ological ▁▁ ▁The ▁bi ote chn ical ▁company ▁Def ym ed , ▁based ▁in ▁France , ▁is ▁developing ▁an ▁impl ant able ▁bio - art ific ial ▁device ▁called ▁Mail Pan ▁which ▁features ▁a ▁bio - compatible ▁memb rane ▁with ▁select ive ▁per me ability ▁to ▁enc aps ulate ▁different ▁cell ▁types , ▁including ▁pan cre atic ▁beta ▁cells . ▁The ▁impl ant ation ▁of ▁the ▁device ▁does ▁not ▁require ▁conj unct ive ▁imm uno - supp ress ive ▁ther apy ▁because ▁the ▁memb rane ▁prevents ▁ant ib od ies ▁of ▁the ▁patient ▁from ▁entering ▁the ▁device ▁and ▁dam aging ▁the ▁enc aps ulated ▁cells . ▁After ▁being ▁surg ically ▁impl anted , ▁the ▁memb rane ▁sheet ▁will ▁be ▁vi able ▁for ▁years . The ▁cells ▁that ▁the ▁device ▁holds ▁can ▁be ▁produced ▁from ▁stem ▁cells ▁rather ▁than ▁human ▁don ors , ▁and ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁replaced ▁over ▁time ▁using ▁input ▁and ▁output ▁connections ▁without ▁surg ery . ▁Def ym ed ▁is ▁partially ▁fund ed ▁by ▁J DR F , ▁formerly ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Ju ven ile ▁Di ab etes ▁Research ▁Foundation , ▁but ▁is ▁now ▁defined ▁as ▁an ▁organization ▁for ▁all ▁ages ▁and ▁all ▁stages ▁of ▁type ▁ 1 ▁di ab etes . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0