Scientists have moved one step closer to allowing for human pancreatic cell implants that can essentially cure Type 1 diabetes and make daily insulin injections unnecessary.

In a study involving mice, a team of researchers — from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Boston Children's Hospital — were able to encapsulate pancreatic cells in a new biomaterial that can withstand attacks by the immune system for up to 6 months, Medical News Today reports. That allowed them to maintain their ability to sense low blood sugar and produce insulin in response.

Overcoming immune system attacks has been a key hurdle in developing a way to allow for pancreatic cell implants. If the technique can be shown to be safe and effective in human patients, it could amount to a veritable cure for the life-threatening metabolic disorder.

The findings, published in Nature Medicine and Nature Biotechnology, the latest in a series of advancements made by researchers who are studying the transplantation of islets cells to treat diabetes.

In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the islet cells in the pancreas, destroying their ability to make insulin, the hormone that regulates glucose (blood sugar). Diabetes must measure glucose level several times a day and inject themselves with insulin.

The latest study shows it is possible to replace the destroyed islet cells in the pancreas with healthy cells that can restore glucose monitoring and insulin release.

"It's significant to see a study of this length return such promising results,” said Sarah Johnson, UK director of policy and communication at JDRF, a Type 1 diabetes charity that helped fund the research.  “If this study can be replicated in humans then one day we could potentially free people with type 1 diabetes from a life of insulin injections."