Eight-Year-Old Hugo – Living with Type 1 Diabetes and Participating in the ProTrans Study

May 15, 2025

NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") is featured in the Future Healthcare – Focus on Diabetes supplement of the Swedish national newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, through an article highlighting eight-year-old Hugo Wahlbeck, who is currently enrolled in the ongoing paediatric study with ProTrans – the Company’s leading investigational therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

The article, written in collaboration with the patient advocacy group Together Against Diabetes 1 (T.A.D.1), recounts Hugo and his family’s journey since his diagnosis in October 2024 and their experience participating in the clinical trial. Although the family does not know whether Hugo received ProTrans or placebo, they describe a life change for the better, with stable blood sugar levels, reduced anxiety, and significantly fewer night time alarms.

“We even have 24-hour periods without a single alarm,” Hugo’s mother Anna shares in the article.

ProTrans is an allogeneic cell therapy based on mesenchymal stromal cells derived from umbilical cord tissue and administered as a single intravenous infusion. The goal is to halt disease progression and preserve the patient’s endogenous insulin production. Previous clinical trials in adults have demonstrated that patients receiving ProTrans maintain significantly higher levels of insulin production compared to placebo, with effects lasting for at least five years.

The ongoing paediatric trial, ProTrans-Young, is sponsored by Uppsala University with Professor Per-Ola Carlsson as the principal investigator. For more information (in Swedish), please visit: nextcellpharma.com/studie

The article is attached to this press release and is also available in full at nextcellpharma.com, SvD Vårdfokus Diabetes. The space in the newspaper supplement was funded by NextCell, but the content was produced by an independent writer in collaboration with T.A.D.1.

For more information about NextCell Pharma, please contact
Mathias Svahn, CEO
Patrik Fagerholm, CFO
Tel: +46 8 735 55 95
E-mail: info@nextcellpharma.com
Website:www.nextcellpharma.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/NextCell-Pharma
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NextCellPharma


For more information about Cellaviva, please contact
Sofie Falk Jansson, CEO Cellaviva AB
Tel: +46 8 735 20 10
E-mail: info@cellaviva.se
Website:www.cellaviva.se


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cellavivasverige
Instagram: https://www,instagram.com/cellaviva

Certified Adviser
The company's shares are listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market.
RedEye AB is assigned as Certified Adviser.

About NextCell Pharma AB
NextCell Pharma is a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing ProTrans, a patent-protected platform based on allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from umbilical cord. Using a proprietary selection algorithm, ProTrans delivers optimised cell tailored to specific indications.  In type 1 diabetes, a single infusion has been shown to preserve insulin production and delay disease progression for at least five years.  A Phase III trial is planned to commence upon securing a commercial partner. ProTrans is also being evaluated for other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. NextCell’s subsidiaries include Cellaviva, Scandinavia’s largest private stem cell bank, and QVance, the Nordic region’s first dedicated provider of quality services for developers of advanced therapies.

Download attachmentRead full press release on Cision (external link)
2021-05-26
Study start for ProTrans in COVID-19
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) announces today that both the Canadian and Swedish COVID-19 studies have been initiated and are now ready to include patients with severe pneumonia triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The treatment is aimed at patients who are hospitalized and with a high risk of needing ventilatory support. ProTrans is given as a peripheral infusion. With the aim of reducing hyper-inflammation within the lungs. The goal of the treatment is to shorten hospital stay and time for rehabilitation, and to save lives. · ProTrans19 + CA, a randomized placebo-controlled phase-II study
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) announces today that both the Canadian and Swedish COVID-19 studies have been initiated and are now ready to include patients with severe pneumonia triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The treatment is aimed at patients who are hospitalized and with a high risk of ne...
Read moreRead more
2021-05-21
Recruitment start for the ProTrans study for treatment of COVID-19
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) announces today that the Swedish COVID-19 stuy has been initiated and is now ready to include patients with severe pneumonia triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The treatment is aimed at patients who are hospitalized and with a high risk of needing ventilatory support. ProTrans is given as a peripheralinfusion. With the aim of reducing hyper-inflammation within the lungs. The goal of the treatment is to shorten hospital stay and time for rehabilitation and save lifes. The study will be performed at the University Hospital in Örebro in collaboration with the
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) announces today that the Swedish COVID-19 stuy has been initiated and is now ready to include patients with severe pneumonia triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The treatment is aimed at patients who are hospitalized and with a high risk of needing ventilatory suppo...
Read moreRead more
2021-04-29
NextCell Pharma publishes Interim Report 2 2020/2021
NextCell Pharma AB (publ) (NXTCL or NextCell) publishes its Interim Report 2 for the period September 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021 The report is available on the company’s website: https://www.nextcellpharma.com/en/investors#financial-report NextCells share is traded on Nasdaq First North Growth Market under the ticker "NXTCL". The amount in brackets refers to the corresponding period in the previous year. Second quarter (2020-12-01 until 2021-02-28) · Operating income amounted to SEK 1 007 846 (1 364 645). · Operating result amounted to SEK -8 148 299 (-4 228 449). · Earnings
NextCell Pharma AB (publ) (NXTCL or NextCell) publishes its Interim Report 2 for the period September 1, 2020 - February 28, 2021 The report is available on the company’s website: https://www.nextcellpharma.com/en/investors#financial-report NextCells share is traded on Nasdaq First North Growth ...
Read moreRead more
2021-04-27
Presentation of the pediatric diabetes study tomorrow Wednesday
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) has invited Professor Per-Ola Carlsson to present study design and rational for the pediatric study, ProTrans-Young. The trial, recently approved, is a phase I / II study with a total of 66 patients with newly diagnosed type-1 diabetes. The presentation will be broadcasted tomorrow, Wednesday April 28, at 14:00. Afterwards, there is an opportunity to ask questions to Professor Carlsson and NextCell's CEO and CSO. https://youtu.be/kE4POLMlXWA.
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) has invited Professor Per-Ola Carlsson to present study design and rational for the pediatric study, ProTrans-Young. The trial, recently approved, is a phase I / II study with a total of 66 patients with newly diagnosed type-1 diabetes. The presentation will be br...
Read moreRead more
2021-04-14
Pediatric diabetes study with stem cells approved
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") announces today that Uppsala University Hospital and the principal investigator, Professor Per-Ola Carlsson, have been granted approval from the Medical Products Agency and the Swedish Ethical Review Authority to conduct a clinical drug trial with ProTrans™ to treat children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes. The study is a phase I / II study with a total of 66 patients. The first six patients treated will be evaluated for safety. The first six patients, three adolescents (12-18 years) and three children (7-11 years), will be treated and assessed for safety.
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") announces today that Uppsala University Hospital and the principal investigator, Professor Per-Ola Carlsson, have been granted approval from the Medical Products Agency and the Swedish Ethical Review Authority to conduct a clinical drug trial with ProTrans™ to trea...
Read moreRead more
2021-03-31
NextCell welcomes Consensus Sverige Selectas as a shareholder
The Board of Directors of NextCell Pharma AB (”NextCell or the ”Company”) has today, based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting held on 24 November 2020, resolved on a directed issue of 666,666 new shares (the “Share Issue”) to Consensus Sverige Select (”Consensus”). The subscription price in the share issue amounts to SEK 15 per new share and the Company receives approximately SEK 10 million in issue proceeds. The Board of Directors of NextCell has today, based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting held on 24 November 2020, resolved on the Share
The Board of Directors of NextCell Pharma AB (”NextCell or the ”Company”) has today, based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting held on 24 November 2020, resolved on a directed issue of 666,666 new shares (the “Share Issue”) to Consensus Sverige Select (”Consensus”). The sub...
Read moreRead more
2021-03-02
The stem cell company NextCell invests in own production facility
The stem cell company NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell” or “the Company”) announces today that they have entered into an agreement with the property manager Hemsö and the clean room supplier QleanAir, to build a full-scale production facility. This new production facility will be directly connected to the Company's existing office and clean room in the Novum building, next to Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge. The construction will take place later this spring and the premises are expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2021. The significant upcomming medical need for
The stem cell company NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell” or “the Company”) announces today that they have entered into an agreement with the property manager Hemsö and the clean room supplier QleanAir, to build a full-scale production facility. This new production facility will be directly connected ...
Read moreRead more
2021-02-02
Canadian Trial for ProTrans in COVID-19
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) today announces that Health Canada and the McGill University Health Centre Research Ethics Board have authorized the clinical trial entitled “Treatment of Respiratory Complications Associated with COVID-19 Infection Using Wharton’s Jelly (WJ)-Umbilical Cord (UC) Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (ProTrans™): a Randomized Phase II Controlled Clinical Trial”. The sponsor for this trial is the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. The trial will enrol 48 patients with severe pneumonia associated with confirmed COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) infection,
NextCell Pharma AB (“NextCell”) today announces that Health Canada and the McGill University Health Centre Research Ethics Board have authorized the clinical trial entitled “Treatment of Respiratory Complications Associated with COVID-19 Infection Using Wharton’s Jelly (WJ)-Umbilical Cord (UC) Me...
Read moreRead more