New Zealand based, Living Cell Technologies, which is leading world's first pig cell implants to treat diabetes, has said that it has received approval to sell is technology in Russia for treatment.

The registration will allow its sale and use to treat Type 1 diabetes through the company's Russian subsidiary LCT Biomedical, which was established in 2009 to commercially develop DIABECELL in the country.

Ross McDonald, CEO of Living Cell said that the company expects to start selling the product next year but says that the market needs to be made educated of its use. "This is not a cure and it's important to manage the expectations of patients as part of that market development," he said.

Insulin-producing cells are taken from rare Auckland Island pigs that are bred by the company in a special centre near Invercargill. It is the world's first porcine cell implant therapy. Clinical trials by the Russian subsidiary n eight diabetic patients showed six of the eight showed long-term improvements in blood glucose control.

The company plans to commercialize the treatment in New Zealand next.