T1D patients can be categorized into two groups, those with recent onset of T1D and those with longstanding T1D. For those with recent onset of less than twelve months, 80-90% of them will become insulin free, often within a few weeks, days in some cases. This is because there are still some insulin-producing cells in the pancreas that are still alive and can recover. For those with onset of T1D between twelve and twenty-four months, the majority of them will become insulin free or nearly so. So, the earlier that SCE treatment is given, the better are the results.
On the other hand, patients with longstanding T1D, greater than two years, have a slower and often less complete recovery, but most will have significantly less insulin requirement after a few months. Recovery in these patients takes longer because the pancreas has to be re-populated with insulin-producing cells that come from insulin-producing stem cells in the blood that have to find there way to the pancreas.