Cellular Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Eligibility Criteria

• * A new diagnosis of T1D based on the ADA criteria within 6 months of randomization.
• * Male and female between the ages of 18 and 30
• * Mentally stable and able to comply with the procedures of the study protocol
• * Positivity for at least one T1D-associated autoantibody, such as GAD, IA-2 or ZnT8 autoantibodies
• * At screening, patients must have residual β cell function with a stimulated peak C-peptide \>0.2 nmol/l during a 2 hour MMTT
• * Must be willing to comply with "intensive diabetes management" (\* See diabetes management at MUSC below) as directed by the participant's clinician with the goal of maintaining blood glucose as close to normal as possible
• * Subject must be willing to comply with the schedule of study visits and protocol requirements
• * Subject with normal laboratory values of: White blood cell counts: between 4,500 to 11,000 per microliter; Platelet counts: 140,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter of blood; Serum creatinine range is 0.6-1.3 mg/dL, Hepatic function: ALT 5 to 55 units per liter (U/L), AST 5 to 48 U/L.
• * Evidence of retinopathy at baseline based on ophthalmologic examination or medical record review.
• * Body Mass Index \< 14 or \>35
• * Presence of malignancy
• * Subject has abnormally high lipid levels that exceeds \> 3 times the upper limit of normal for LDL cholesterol or triglycerides
• * Subject has blood pressure greater than 160 mmHg systolic or 100 mmHg diastolic at time of consent
• * Subject is being treated for severe active infection of any type
• * A female subject who is breast-feeding, pregnant, or intends to become pregnant during the study.
• * Subject with clinically relevant uncontrolled medical condition not associated with diabetes (e.g. severe psychiatric, hematologic, renal, hepatic, neurologic, cardiac, or respiratory disorder)
• * Subjects with HgbA1c \>12%, and/or fasting blood glucose \>270 mg/dL and/or frequent episodes of hypoglycemia (\>2 episodes per week of blood glucose levels \<60 mg/dL).