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)
2019-05-15
NextCell Pharma invited speaker at the World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") and Cellaviva have been invited to attend and speak at the 14th annual World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress, which is held at the Business Design Centre, London 15 - 17 May. On 16 May, CEO Dr. Mathias Svahn will be chairing the Roundtable Discussion Session regarding hospital exemption procedures. For the duration of the conference NextCell/Cellaviva delegates will be participating in workshops, attending lectures and engaging in a variety of networking activities.  The World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress is an
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") and Cellaviva have been invited to attend and speak at the 14th annual World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress, which is held at the Business Design Centre, London 15 - 17 May. On 16 May, CEO Dr. Mathias Svahn will be chairing the Roundtable Discu...
Read moreRead more
2019-05-09
ProTrans-Repeat, an approved clinical trial for repeated treatment of patients with diabetes
The Medical Products Agency has granted NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") permission to conduct the new study, ProTrans-Repeat. The study is a continuation of ProTrans-1 where patients with type-1 diabetes who participated in the dose escalation part will be asked to participate in ProTrans-Repeat. The purpose is to investigate whether repeated treatment is safe and gives increased effect on the patient's ability to produce insulin. ProTrans-Repeat is a Phase IIa clinical trial that aims to evaluate whether repeated treatment can increase or maintain the effect of ProTrans over a longer period
The Medical Products Agency has granted NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") permission to conduct the new study, ProTrans-Repeat. The study is a continuation of ProTrans-1 where patients with type-1 diabetes who participated in the dose escalation part will be asked to participate in ProTrans-Repeat....
Read moreRead more
2019-05-08
The Medical Products Agency grants NextCell permission to initiate the ProTrans-Repeat trial
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") today received a permit from the Medical Products Agency granting permission to initiate a new clinical trial, called ProTrans-Repeat. The trials is a continuation of the ongoing ProTrans-1 trial and of great importance to the further development of ProTrans. The goal for this study is to include those patients with type 1 diabetes who participated in the dose escalation part of the ongoing ProTrans-1 study and the study purpose is to demonstrate that ProTrans also has a positive effect when using a repeated treatment approach. ProTrans-Repeat is a Phase IIa
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") today received a permit from the Medical Products Agency granting permission to initiate a new clinical trial, called ProTrans-Repeat. The trials is a continuation of the ongoing ProTrans-1 trial and of great importance to the further development of ProTrans. The g...
Read moreRead more
2019-05-08
The NextCell Pharma AB board of directors proposes an Rights Issue of MSEK 24.9 and calls for an extraordinary general meeting
The Board of NextCell Pharma AB (publ) ("NextCell" or "the Company") has decided to propose an extraordinary general meeting on May 24, 2019 to decide on a rights issue of shares ("Rights Issue") totaling SEK 24.9 million. The rights issue is secured through subscription commitments and letter of intent of approximately 21 per cent and guarantee commitments of approximately 59 per cent, which corresponds to approximately 80 per cent of the total issue volume. The reason for the rights issue is to obtain working capital to expand the clinical trial program with the company's first drug
The Board of NextCell Pharma AB (publ) ("NextCell" or "the Company") has decided to propose an extraordinary general meeting on May 24, 2019 to decide on a rights issue of shares ("Rights Issue") totaling SEK 24.9 million. The rights issue is secured through subscription commitments and letter of...
Read moreRead more
2019-05-08
Discussions on a merger between NextCell AB and Idogen AB are suspended
The discussions that took place between the boards of NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") and Idogen AB ("Idogen") (together "The Companies"), regarding a possible merger, are suspended. Although the discussions have been characterized by pragmatism, but the boards of the companies have concluded that both companies will benefit from continuing to pursue their own activities. Even though the discussions regarding a possible merger have now been suspended, the companies choose to continue discussions on how the companies could further cooperate in the future. "We saw it as commercially logica
The discussions that took place between the boards of NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") and Idogen AB ("Idogen") (together "The Companies"), regarding a possible merger, are suspended. Although the discussions have been characterized by pragmatism, but the boards of the companies have concluded tha...
Read moreRead more
2019-05-06
Update regarding possible merger between NextCell Pharma AB and Idogen AB
Discussions between the boards of NextCell Pharma AB (publ) ("NextCell") and Idogen AB (publ) ("Idogen") (together "The companies") regarding a possible merger, are still ongoing. Further information will be published no later than the opening of trading on Wednesday, 08 May 2019. The companies have initiated a limited customary, legal, financial and technical/scientific due diligence. At the same time, discussions are taking place between the boards of the Companies. Additionally, the merger if implemented, will take place through an exchange offer from NextCell with consideration in
Discussions between the boards of NextCell Pharma AB (publ) ("NextCell") and Idogen AB (publ) ("Idogen") (together "The companies") regarding a possible merger, are still ongoing. Further information will be published no later than the opening of trading on Wednesday, 08 May 2019. The companies h...
Read moreRead more
2019-04-30
Half-year report
First Half (2018-09-01 till 2018-02-28) · Operating income amounted to SEK 508,7795 (391,204). · Operating result amounted to SEK -8,929,084 (-7,524,256).                         · Earnings per share* amounted to SEK -0.83 (-0.88). · Cash and bank amounted to SEK 6,886,879 (9,444,381). · Solidity** amounted to 87 (59) %. **Result per share: operating results divided by the average number of shares. Average number of shares for the first half of 2018/2019: 11,486,456 shares (8,505,425). Number of shares in NextCell as per February 28th, 11,486,456 shares (8,505,425). *
First Half (2018-09-01 till 2018-02-28) · Operating income amounted to SEK 508,7795 (391,204). · Operating result amounted to SEK -8,929,084 (-7,524,256).                         · Earnings per share* amounted to SEK -0.83 (-0.88). · Cash and bank amounted to SEK 6,886,879 (9,444,381). ...
Read moreRead more
2019-04-26
NextCell Pharma AB comments on the trading halt of 25 April 2019
With respect to Spotlight Stock Market’s decision on 25 April 2019 to halt trading in NextCell Pharma AB's share, the stock market has, in accordance with its regulations, ordered the company to comment on the trading halt. Discussions are currently underway between the boards of NextCell Pharma AB and Idogen AB regarding a potential merger. The structure being discussed would entail that NextCell Pharma AB makes a bid for all of the shares in Idogen AB and in turn will offer its own shares as a means of payment. At the time of the press release, the dialogue between the companies has only
With respect to Spotlight Stock Market’s decision on 25 April 2019 to halt trading in NextCell Pharma AB's share, the stock market has, in accordance with its regulations, ordered the company to comment on the trading halt. Discussions are currently underway between the boards of NextCell Pharma ...
Read moreRead more