Implantable cell therapy has potential to restore adrenal function and treat primary adrenal insufficiency: Study

Adrenal hormone function was restored in animal studies, potentially paving the way for a functional cure for primary adrenal insufficiency in humans, according to research being presented by Aspect Biosystems on Monday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

Primary adrenal insufficiency, most commonly due to Addison’s disease or congenital adrenal hyperplasia, is a life-threatening condition that typically requires lifelong adrenal hormone replacement.

However, the current hormone replacement therapies have a significant treatment burden and fail to mimic the natural circadian rhythms of hormone secretion.

“Our research shows that our adrenal Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics (BTTs)—an ‘off-the-shelf,’ implantable cell therapy—can restore natural hormone function and perform long-term in animals, demonstrating its potential to offer a functional cure for primary adrenal insufficiency,” said Sam Wadsworth, Ph.D., CSO at Aspect Biosystems.

The company’s adrenal Bioprinted Tissue Therapeutics (BTTs) were studied in vitro to confirm their viability over time.

In the lab, the team at Aspect Biosystems stimulated the adrenal BTTs with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which is typically released from the brain to stimulate cortisol release and observed a consistent cortisol release.

The BTTs were then implanted into mice that had undergone surgical removal of their adrenal glands.

“Following implantation, mice that received adrenal BTTs showed a rapid and sustained increase in circulating cortisol, which is not endogenously produced in mice,” Wadsworth said.

This confirmed that the adrenal BTTs were responsive.

“Notably, cortisol secretion followed the animals’ circadian rhythm, replicating their natural daily hormone cycle,” Wadsworth said. “In contrast, mice implanted with cell-free implants showed no significant cortisol levels and did not respond to ACTH stimulation.”

The adrenal BTT-treated mice also showed improved survival, which continued throughout the study period of about six months.

“This novel approach has the potential to serve as a functional cure for primary adrenal insufficiency, transforming the lives of patients with this disease,” Wadsworth said.