DIABETES RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOUNDATION INC
Programs
Diabetes Research and Clinical Trials
The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation funds basic, pre-clinical and patient-based research studies, including five Phase I/II clinical studies, several of which are simultaneously underway at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI), with the others pending commencement. The ongoing 'islets in the omentum' BioHub trial was the first step in testing the safety and efficacy of insulin-producing cells transplanted within a tissue-engineered platform in a different site than the liver, the traditional transplant site. Foundation funding has allowed the DRI's clinical cell transplant team to contact and screen more than 1,200 candidates for this innovative pilot trial, several of whom were selected and placed on the waiting list to undergo the procedure pending the availability of a matching donor organ. Other alternative transplant sites continue to be explored. DRIF funding also supports the continued follow-up and care of the DRI's islet transplant patients who have participated in previous clinical trials. Many of these have remained insulin independent for a varying number of years. This past year, DRI presented data showing that their islet transplant patients who were still free from insulin for an average of 10 years had near-normal blood sugar levels, similar to those without diabetes. DRIF has also funded DRI research projects that focus on establishing immune tolerance and reversing autoimmunity, the body's destruction of the insulin-producing cells which caused the onset of the disease. Several of the clinical trials address these challenges while other research earlier in the pipeline remains underway. Another major research area that DRIF supports is the development of an unlimited supply of insulin-producing cells. DRIF-funded studies have led to significant progress in stimulating the regeneration of pancreatic stem cells into insulin-producing cells using a single FDA-approved molecule. This significant finding opens to door to a natural cell supply bank within the patient's body, addressing several ongoing challenges for curing the disease. The DRIF has funded international researcher training and key collaborative programs that help accelerate research progress through the sharing of ideas and advancements. Also, DRIF-funded research equipment was used in a Phase III multi-center clinical islet transplantation trial. The resulting data demonstrated that islet transplantation is effective in preventing severe hypoglycemia - dangerously low blood sugar levels - which represents a particularly feared complication in type 1 diabetes that can lead to seizures, loss of consciousness and even death. Importantly, the results of this Phase III trial pave the way for islet transplantation to become an FDA-Authorized treatment for patients with diabetes and one that would be eligible for insurance reimbursement. Key funded research areas include cell-based therapies for islet replacement, immune tolerance, immune regulation, regenerative medicine, and stem cell research, among others, to restore biological insulin production. Together with other diabetes advocacy organizations, the DRIF has appeared before Congress to request increased funding for diabetes research, and has made recommendations on the future direction of research appropriations. DRIF also hosts and participates in a variety of informational workshops for people with diabetes and their families focusing on the latest advances toward a cure and the newest diabetes management techniques. Through its website DiabetesResearch.org, the DRIF provides 'news you can useresearch updates for those living with diabetes and their family members in the form of e-newsletters, videos, email announcements and information via social media.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2020 – Jun 30, 2021Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$8.3MCommunity Diabetes Education
Community Diabetes Education. The Diabetes Research Institute Foundation provides information to the public via its website literature, speakers and hosting an annual diabetes research conference, print interviews and toll free number 800-321-3437. The public gains knowledge about diabetes, diabetes care and research towards finding a cure for diabetes.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2020 – Jun 30, 2021Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$783.8KProgram 1 [2024]
THE DIABETES RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOUNDATION FUNDS BASIC, PRE-CLINICAL AND PATIENT-BASED RESEARCH STUDIES, INCLUDING CLINICAL STUDIES, SEVERAL OF WHICH ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY UNDERWAY AT THE DIABETES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (DRI) AND OTHER COLLABORATING RESEARCH FACILITIES. SUPPORT FROM THE DIABETES RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOUNDATION HAS ENABLED THE INTRODUCTION OF AFFINITY GROUPS AT THE DRI, A NEW STRATEGIC TOOL TO ACCELERATE THE FUTURE OF TYPE 1 DIABETES RESEARCH. THESE GROUPS ARE DESIGNED TO FOSTER COLLABORATION, ENCOURAGE INNOVATIVE THINKING AND STREAMLINE PROBLEM-SOLVING. THROUGH THESE NEW AFFINITY GROUPS, EXPERTS AND SPECIALISTS ACROSS DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING SURGEONS, ENGINEERS, IMMUNOLOGISTS, CHEMISTS AND ENDOCRINOLOGISTS, COME TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON THREE CRITICAL AREAS: IMMUNOLOGY/IMMUNE MODULATION, DEVICES TO SUPPORT ISLET TRANSPLANTATION AND INSULIN-PRODUCING BETA CELL ROBUSTNESS AND AUGMENTATION. IN THE AREA OF IMMUNOLOGY, DRIF HAS FUNDED DRI RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING IMMUNE TOLERANCE AND REVERSING AUTOIMMUNITY, THE BODY'S DESTRUCTION OF THE INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS WHICH CAUSES THE ONSET OF THE DISEASE. ONE SUCH STUDY INVOLVES THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY AT-1501 WHICH WAS TESTED IN PRECLINICAL MODELS, LEADING TO LONG-TERM GRAFT SURVIVAL IN BOTH ISLET AND KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS, CONFIRMING ITS IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE POTENTIAL. ANOTHER EXCITING STUDY INVOLVES THE USE OF "LIPONANO CLUSTERS" WHICH PROVIDE CONTINUOUS DELIVERY OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY COMPOUNDS TO TRANSPLANTED INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS, REDUCING INFLAMMATION AND PROTECTING THESE CELLS FROM BEING ATTACKED BY THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. IN THE AREA OF DEVICES, DRIF-FUNDED RESEARCHERS ARE FOCUSED ON REFINING STRATEGIES FOR HIDING AND PROTECTING INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS FROM THE ATTACK BY THE IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH THE USE OF ENCAPSULATION AND HOUSING DEVICES FOR CELLS. DRI RESEARCHERS ARE ADVANCING CONFORMAL COATING TECHNOLOGY COMBINED WITH THE CELL POUCH SYSTEM TO PROTECT ISLET CELLS. DRI RESEARCHERS ARE ALSO WORKING TO DEVELOP THE IMMUNOSUPPRESSION-FREE VASCULARIZED DEVICE FOR ISLET TRANSPLANTATION (VADIT), AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH THAT INTEGRATES A VASCULARIZED DEVICE WITH A TISSUE-BASED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM TO ENABLE ISLET TRANSPLANTATION WITHOUT THE NEED FOR LIFELONG IMMUNOSUPPRESSION. ADDITIONALLY, DRI SCIENTISTS ARE STUDYING PATENTED FASL TECHNOLOGY, COMBINING A SYNTHETIC FORM OF THE PROTEIN FASL WITH A SPECIAL MICROGEL TO SAFELY PROTECT TRANSPLANTED ISLETS AND INDUCE LOCAL IMMUNE TOLERANCE. ANOTHER MAJOR RESEARCH AREA THAT DRIF SUPPORTS IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN UNLIMITED SUPPLY OF INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS. DRIF-FUNDED STUDIES HAVE LED TO SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN STIMULATING THE REGENERATION OF PANCREATIC STEM CELLS INTO INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS USING A SINGLE FDA-APPROVED MOLECULE, BMP-7. THIS SIGNIFICANT FINDING OPENS TO DOOR TO A NATURAL CELL SUPPLY BANK WITHIN THE PATIENT'S BODY, ADDRESSING SEVERAL ONGOING CHALLENGES FOR CURING THE DISEASE. THE DRIF HAS FUNDED INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHER TRAINING AND KEY COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS THAT HELP ACCELERATE RESEARCH PROGRESS THROUGH THE SHARING OF IDEAS AND ADVANCEMENTS. DRIF ALSO HOSTS AND PARTICIPATES IN A VARIETY OF INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES AND THEIR FAMILIES FOCUSING ON THE LATEST ADVANCES TOWARD A CURE AND THE NEWEST DIABETES MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. THROUGH ITS WEBSITE DIABETESRESEARCH.ORG, THE DRIF PROVIDES 'NEWS YOU CAN USE RESEARCH UPDATES FOR THOSE LIVING WITH DIABETES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE FORM OF E-NEWSLETTERS, VIDEOS, EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND INFORMATION VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2024Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$8.2M
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