Last year JDRF took a number of significant actions to broaden the resources available in the T1D research and development space – three of them are highlighted here. Each of these will help speed progress towards our research goals across our portfolio of research objectives to develop and deliver novel T1D therapies to patients.

In March, the U.S. Congress approved legislation for a one- year extension of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) — an initiative that accounts for roughly one-third of all federally funded T1D research in the US. Driven in large part because of JDRF’s efforts, the extension provides $150 million of SDP funding for the National Institutes of Health.

Last November, JDRF announced a new partnership with Pfizer’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) to support the development and translation of promising T1D research. The collaboration will initially focus on co- funding projects in the fields of immune tolerance, diabetic nephropathy and beta cell health. Capitalizing on JDRF’s expertise in the field of T1D research and CTI’s network of academic medical centers, the organizations will work together to identify and drive promising research projects. By harnessing resources and expertise from both organizations, we can speed the development and delivery of better treatments that could improve millions of lives – a vision shared by JDRF and CTI.

Last October, JDRF announced the launch of T1D Innovations, a novel venture-creating entity designed to accelerate the development of innovative T1D therapies. Together with PureTech, a technology development company, T1D Innovations will create and fund high-impact companies developing innovative T1D-related therapies, enabling them to cross the well-known biomedical “valley of death” – the notorious gap that often prevents promising biomedical discoveries from being translated into patient- saving products.