JDRF and the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) have partnered on a new precompetitive type 1 diabetes research consortium entitled “TRANSLATIONAL APPROACHES TO DISEASE MODIFYING THERAPY OF TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS (T1DM)”. This public-private consortium, with participation from industry, academia, government, and JDRF, will focus on addressing critical knowledge gaps and the lack of tools and technologies to detect the risk of developing type 1 diabetes and to predict disease progression. Development of new insights and tools will enable optimizing the design of type 1 diabetes clinical trials to prevent and cure the disease. Sanofi is named Coordinator and JDRF is named Co-coordinator for the Program with participation of GSK, Novo Nordisk, and Eli Lilly. JDRF’s role as Co-coordinator is based on its worldwide support for and advocacy of type 1 diabetes research.

The project falls under one of the research priority areas of IMI and will be funded with EUR 17M funding from the EU and with approximately EUR 17M total in-kind matching. IMI and JDRF are now calling for partners from academia, small biotechs, patient groups, and others to apply to join this exciting new project.

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is working to improve health by speeding up the development of, and patient access to, innovative medicines, particularly in areas where there is an unmet medical or social need. It does this by facilitating collaboration between the key players involved in healthcare research, including universities, the pharmaceutical and other industries, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), patient organisations, and medicines regulators. IMI is a partnership between the European Union and the European pharmaceutical industry, represented by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).

“JDRF is pleased to join IMI as an Associate Partner in support of a precompetitive partnership with industry and academia to better predict risk of developing type 1 diabetes and its progression and to characterize heterogeneity of the disease,” said Richard A. Insel, M.D., JDRF chief scientific officer. “The insights and tools created from this program will help to optimize the design of type 1 diabetes clinical trials. JDRF strongly endorses the mandate of embedding a patient advisory committee in the partnership to ensure that the desires and needs of patients and their families are being addressed.”

JDRF has had a multi-year relationship with IMI. JDRF’s participation has included both research support for IMI consortia, and advocacy for including the perspective of people with type 1 diabetes in the research planning process. JDRF and IMI co-sponsored the Diabetes Patient Focus Meeting in Brussels, Belgium on May 20th 2014 to provide input from the patient’s perspective on type 1 diabetes research & development gaps and to help inform the new partnership. A patient advisory committee will be an integral component of the “TRANSLATIONAL APPROACHES TO DISEASE MODIFYING THERAPY OF TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS (T1DM)” program, to provide advice during its planning and implementation.

Michel Goldman, IMI Executive Director commented, “I am delighted to welcome JDRF as an associate partner of IMI. I am convinced that their expertise, combined with that of the other partners, will help to ensure this project delivers results that will make a real difference to patients.”

About JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, regulatory influence, and a working plan to better treat, prevent, and eventually cure T1D. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF is currently funding $568 million in scientific research in 17 countries. For more information, please visit www.jdrf.org.

About the new project
IMI formally launched the Call for proposals for consortia to apply to join this project on 9 July. More information on the project, as well as details of how to apply, can be found on the IMI website: www.imi.europa.eu

Deadline for submitting proposals: 12 November 2014.

Media Contact:

Christopher Rucas
212.479.7667 (office)
crucas@jdrf.org