Carol Lurie, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, and a founder of JDRF, passed away on Friday, February 15th. Carol and her husband Erwin played a vital part in JDRF and its contributions to diabetes research, offering continual inspiration, guidance, and support working at the chapter, national, and international levels. We will miss her.
This year, we’re celebrating 42 years of milestones in T1D research, awareness, and advocacy. This annual report turns the spotlight on 42 of the unique people, programs, and signs of progress that compel people to join JDRF.
In December 2012, a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) or who are at increased risk of developing the disease have smaller pancreases than people not at risk. Researchers studied pancreases from three groups of deceased donors: individuals with T1D, those with autoantibodies [...]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on November 9 the issuance of its final guidance for the development of artificial pancreas systems. The guidance incorporates nearly all of JDRF’s recommendations. This news represents a milestone victory for JDRF and the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community, as the technology is viewed by medical experts [...]
For many people who have experienced diabetic macular edema (DME), the future looks a little clearer. On August 10, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of the drug Lucentis for the treatment of DME. Developed by Genentech, Lucentis is the first and only FDA-approved medicine for the condition. Diabetic macular edema [...]
The collaborative partnership of JDRF and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded a new grant in one of the most exciting and promising areas of type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The $4.6-million grant, distributed over three years, will fund the beta cell encapsulation research of Camillo Ricordi, M.D., scientific director [...]
Developing effective treatments for diabetic retinopathy is a key part of JDRF’s research goals. Until recently, the only treatment for diabetic macular edema was with lasers that often halted the worsening of the condition but did not improve a person’s eyesight. Now, however, a promising new treatment has emerged in the form of a drug called Lucentis (known generically as ranibizumab).
Researchers at the University of Alberta have reported that a two-drug combination, sitagliptin and pantoprazole, can restore insulin independence in some islet transplant recipients with early signs of transplant failure. The effect was not sustained after withdrawal of the drugs; there was lack of evidence for durable effects on beta cell function or increased beta cell mass. JDRF continues to support research to improve long-term islet transplant function and to promote beta cell regeneration in all people with T1D.
In the JDRF-funded Medalist Study of individuals who have lived with T1D for at least 50 years, researchers have discovered that some Medalists are protected from advanced diabetic retinopathy because they have a slow rate of retinopathy onset or progression. Further, after 20 years of T1D, progression of retinopathy appears to halt. Researchers can now search for factors that mediate this slow disease progression and exploit them to develop new strategies to prevent or treat diabetic retinopathy.
A first-of-its-kind clinical pilot study has demonstrated the safety and feasibility of an artificial pancreas system in an outpatient, “real-world” setting. A second clinical study has shown that a hypoglycemia-hyperglycemia minimizer system can predict when blood-glucose levels are about to rise or fall and make appropriate adjustments in insulin delivery. These JDRF-supported studies represent critical steps on the path to a functional artificial pancreas for the benefit of people living with T1D.
