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)
2019-05-06
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
2019-04-05
NextCell's biobank Cellaviva has received permission from IVO to handle stem cells from adipose tissue
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") announces today that its biobank Cellaviva has been granted an extended permit from the Health and Care Inspectorate (IVO), to also handle and store stem cells from adipose tissue. The decision enables the company to launch its new service, stem cell saving for adults. The company has previously been authorized by IVO to operate a tissue establishment using cells from the umbilical-cord and umbilical-cord-blood from newborns and operates a biobank for family saving of these cells. The extended approval state of fat-derived stem cells means for the fat-derived
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") announces today that its biobank Cellaviva has been granted an extended permit from the Health and Care Inspectorate (IVO), to also handle and store stem cells from adipose tissue. The decision enables the company to launch its new service, stem cell saving for adu...
Read moreRead more
2019-03-29
NextCell and Cellaviva are highlighted by KI Innovations
The stem cell company NextCell Pharma (“NXTCL”) announces that the company and its stem cell bank Cellaviva are highlighted by Karolinska Institutet Innovations as a positive example in its Jubilee book “20 year of innovation @ Karolinska Institutet”. Of nearly 400 innovations, NextCell and a further 19 examples have been selected to represent the social benefits that research of KI has contributed during the past 20 years. Cellaviva was founded by researchers at Karolinska Institutet with help from Karolinska Institutet Innovations AB. The company became the first private stem cell bank in
The stem cell company NextCell Pharma (“NXTCL”) announces that the company and its stem cell bank Cellaviva are highlighted by Karolinska Institutet Innovations as a positive example in its Jubilee book “20 year of innovation @ Karolinska Institutet”. Of nearly 400 innovations, NextCell and a fur...
Read moreRead more
2019-03-22
NextCell continuous to strengthen development and collaborative activities
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") announces today, that during the last few months the company has engaged in an array of valuable activities and collaborations. NextCell is active in the “SweLife ATMP health economics and business models” project led by RISE and the “Visions Driven Health” project, both funded by Vinnova. The work conducted in the projects is a collaborative effort between different types of stakeholders, such as SMEs, big pharma and county councils, all with the common goal of improving the Swedish conditions for innovative cell therapies. The latest development is that
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") announces today, that during the last few months the company has engaged in an array of valuable activities and collaborations. NextCell is active in the “SweLife ATMP health economics and business models” project led by RISE and the “Visions Driven Health” project...
Read moreRead more
2019-02-22
NextCell continues to develop
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") gives the market updated information before its presentation at ProHearing later today by CEO, Mathias Svahn. Recruitment of patients with type-1 diabetes in the Phase II part of the ProTrans-1 clinical trial with the drug candidate ProTrans is ongoing. An application for a new trial, ProTrans-repeat, has been submitted and Cellaviva's customer inflow has been increasing. ProTrans-1, NXTCL's ongoing clinical trial for the treatment of type-1 diabetes, is divided into two parts, the first being a three-step dose escalation with three patients in each step, a
NextCell Pharma AB ("NextCell") gives the market updated information before its presentation at ProHearing later today by CEO, Mathias Svahn. Recruitment of patients with type-1 diabetes in the Phase II part of the ProTrans-1 clinical trial with the drug candidate ProTrans is ongoing. An applicat...
Read moreRead more
2019-02-12
NextCell listed on the Life Science Hotlist
NextCell Pharma AB ("NXTCL") announces that Invest Stockholm has now placed NXTCL on the Life Science Hotlist. The Stockholm-Uppsala Life Science Investment Hotlist is curated by Invest Stockholm and lists the most promising and innovative companies active in the field of life science. NXTCL with both its stem cell banking and drug development business is an ideal candidate for this list. The company develops novel treatments with stem cells from the umbilical cord. In umbilical cord and umbilical cord tissue there are young and viable stem cells that can be collected without any medical
NextCell Pharma AB ("NXTCL") announces that Invest Stockholm has now placed NXTCL on the Life Science Hotlist. The Stockholm-Uppsala Life Science Investment Hotlist is curated by Invest Stockholm and lists the most promising and innovative companies active in the field of life science. NXTCL with...
Read moreRead more