The Special Diabetes Program Advancing Research & Improving Lives on the Path to a Cure

Charlie was diagnosed with T1D at 10 months old. Some days, he wants to be a doctor when he grows up. Other days, he wants to be an artist, an engineer, a truck driver or a fireman. More than anything, he wants a cure.

The Special Diabetes Program

Strong, Bipartisan Support for the SDP

The Special Diabetes Program (SDP) has

Since the enactment of the SDP, the

led to groundbreaking discoveries and new

program has enjoyed strong, bipartisan

treatments that are improving the lives of

support in Congress and the Administration.

people with diabetes and demonstrating

Recent examples include:

a strong return on the federal investment. SDP-funded research opportunities that are being explored and others on the horizon show great promise in relieving the growing burden on our nation’s economy, the millions of Americans affected by diabetes, and other

• Stand-alone legislation in 2010 (H.R. 3668 & S. 3058) was cosponsored by 62 Senators and 296 Representatives. A two-year renewal at $150 million, for both parts of the program, was included as part of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-309).

diseases that benefit from the SDP’s work. • Letters circulated in 2013 garnered the support

Congress and the Administration created the SDP in 1997 to address the growing burden of type 1 diabetes (T1D) by providing more funding for T1D research. At the same time, Congress created a sister program,

of 76 Senators and 338 Representatives. • The SDP was renewed as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240) for one year at $150 million, for each of its two parts.

the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, focused on type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment

JDRF is grateful that the program was

and prevention in American Indian

extended for one year. It is our hope that the

and Alaska Native populations. Congress

program will be extended for multiple years,

renews these programs together.

as Congress has done previously, to ensure critical clinical trials continue uninterrupted and resources are allocated most effectively.

Diagnosed with T1D at age 4, Kerry experienced the thrill of not having to worry about her diabetes for a few days when she participated in an artificial pancreas trial. The artificial pancreas, which automatically controls blood sugar levels, has been tested in a hospital setting with great results. The next step is further testing in patients at home so the technology can one day be available to all people with T1D. The development of this technology would be the biggest breakthrough since the discovery of insulin.

SDP Research Advances Restoration Immune Therapies • Immune therapy drugs

Beta Cell Replacement

Artificial Pancreas • Patients with T1D achieved

• Transplantation of insulin-

Complications Diabetic Retinopathy • Treatment using a drug that

tighter blood glucose

reached the market in 2012 in

have slowed the immune

producing islet cells from

control by using artificial

the United States preserves

attack for approximately

cadaveric donor pancreases

pancreas (AP) technologies

and even improves vision in

one year in patients newly

into patients with the

in clinical trials. A recent

people who have diabetic eye

diagnosed with T1D. Patients

most difficult to control

study estimates use of AP

disease. This advance makes

required less insulin and had

T1D significantly reduced

technology in working age

the difference between being

improved blood glucose

loss of consciousness from

adults who have T1D will

able to see well enough to

control for a period of time.

hypoglycemia and achieved

result in nearly $1 billion in

drive or hold a job—or not.

insulin independence for

savings to Medicare over

over five years.

25 years.

• Since these drugs can have serious side effects, further research will help find more

• Further research is required to develop new therapies to

• Further research focused

• Additional studies will test

treat the large population of

targeted drugs and new

on developing alternative

AP technologies in the

individuals whose eye disease

protocols with the hope of

sources of islets could

outpatient setting and will

fails to respond to this newly

halting the autoimmune

allow the approach to be

focus on developing new

approved drug.

attack permanently to

extended to large numbers

generation systems with

prevent T1D and prolong the

of individuals. Researchers

increased automation.

honeymoon period in new

could also encapsulate

onset T1D.

islets to help avoid the toxic effects of immune suppression and develop strategies to transform a patient’s own cells into insulin producing beta cells.

After Ryan’s diagnosis in 2002 at the age of 8, his father, Scott, enrolled in a study for relatives of people with T1D. Scott tested positive for T1D antibodies and enrolled in another SDP-funded study to test a drug called rituximab (anti-CD20) to see if it would slow the disease’s progression. Today, Scott has T1D but is only in need of small doses of insulin to control his diabetes and doesn’t have high and low blood sugar levels like others with T1D.

& Future Opportunities Prevention Diabetic Kidney Disease • Researchers have found

Genetics • Further development of

Environmental

• Over 50 genes or genetic

• Researchers are more than

that intensive blood glucose

AP technologies will help

regions, up from 3 genes

midway through a 15-year

control over 6.5 years can cut

patients achieve tighter

about a decade ago,

study, with over 8,000

in half the onset of impaired

blood glucose control. Also,

have been identified that

at-risk children enrolled

kidney function. Diabetes is

other avenues need to be

influence a person’s risk of

at birth, to determine

the leading cause of end-

explored for the prevention

developing T1D. One gene

what environmental

stage renal disease (ESRD),

and treatment of kidney

region was identified with

factors influence T1D

which cost $29 billion

disease, as this disease may

regulating blood glucose

onset. Information on

to Medicare in 2009. By

still occur in T1D patients with

levels.

diet, infections, and other

lowering ESRD rates by 50%,

reported good blood glucose

Medicare would save over $14

control.

exposures is being analyzed • Further research will help to

and is expected to make

billion in 10 years and nearly

pinpoint how genes function

a major contribution to

$126 billion in 25 years.

in T1D onset and glucose

understanding the cause

control, and enable the

of T1D.

design of specific clinical trials to test personally-

Projected Range of Medicare Savings for T1D and T2D from Improved ESRD Rates 150B

$125.9 BILLION

120B

90B

60B

30B

0B

$14.5 BILLION

2023

$66.5 BILLION

• Strategies could be

tailored interventions for

developed to prevent T1D

patients who have similar

onset, ranging from a

risk profiles. In addition,

vaccine for those at risk of

further study could lead to

developing T1D to avoiding

the identification of new

certain foods if diet plays a

ways to prevent or reverse

key role. The comprehensive

the disease.

collection of data from these trials will also benefit

2030

2038

other autoimmune diseases.

Nilia had no family history of type 1 diabetes (T1D), but newborn screening, as part of a Special Diabetes Program funded trial, found she is at risk for developing it. She is participating in the trial until age 15 or T1D onset to help determine if diet, illnesses, or other exposures during her childhood are environmental triggers of T1D onset. This critically important research could enable scientists to prevent T1D altogether.

The Burden of Diabetes Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a devastating autoimmune disease for which there is no cure. T1D occurs when the body’s immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Unrelated to diet or lifestyle, T1D causes lifelong dependence on injected insulin. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is not an autoimmune disease. With T2D, the body produces insulin but cannot use it effectively. While T1D and T2D are different, the resulting costly and burdensome complications are the same.

$245 Billion Annual cost of diabetes to the U.S. economy in 2012

3x Health costs of diabetes are predicted to nearly triple in the next 25 years

32% Percent of Medicare budget spent on people with diabetes

1 in 3 Number of adults in the U.S. who could have diabetes in 2050 if current trends continue

23% Increase in the prevalence of T1D in people under age 20 between 2001-2009

#1 Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, blindness in working age adults, and amputations unrelated to accidents.

But there is hope… People with diabetes are living longer, healthier lives with fewer complications because of research advances, including research supported by the Special Diabetes Program. We have a way to go to achieve a world without T1D but continued funding of the Special Diabetes Program will help us get there sooner.

Research Consortiums & Networks Supported by the Special Diabetes Program The renewal of the SDP will allow researchers to build on the program’s advances by translating those discoveries into even better treatments and eventually a cure for people with diabetes. Without a renewal, SDP-supported trials will be disrupted or halted completely and private funders will not be able to fill the gap: T1D Genetics Consortium/Function of T1D Genes & The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY)

Clinical Islet Transplantation Consortium

100% SDP SUPPORTED

Diabetic Complications Consortium

98% SDP SUPPORTED

59% SDP SUPPORTED

Multi-center trials have helped advance

An interdisciplinary consortium advancing

insulin-producing cell transplant therapy.

the development of diabetes cures and

Large clinical studies that are answer-

treatments by creating animal models

ing the question of what causes T1D. The

Beta Cell Biology Consortium

(60 to date) that closely mimic the human

answers will continue to help lead the

75% SDP SUPPORTED

complications of diabetes.

way to new and better treatments to

An international collaboration focusing

prevent the disease.

on the function of insulin-producing cells

Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet

and on developing cell-based therapies

Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network

to treat T1D.

26% SDP SUPPORTED

A collaborative, nationwide research

67% SDP SUPPORTED

trials of therapies to prevent T1D in people

Diabetes Research in Children Network

at more than 165 sites in 43 states

who are at risk of developing diabetes and

67% SDP SUPPORTED

focused on diabetes-induced eye

to stop the disease from progressing in

A network of U.S. clinical centers testing

disorders such as diabetic retinopathy,

those who are newly diagnosed.

and validating new diabetes management

diabetic macular edema and

technologies in children.

associated conditions.

A national network conducting clinical

network of clinicians and researchers

JDRF—a Partner on the Path to a Cure 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. Through our strategic research plan, JDRF works to move an ongoing stream of lifechanging therapies through the research pipeline from development to the marketplace until we eliminate T1D from people’s lives completely. Currently, JDRF has more than $530 million invested in T1D research worldwide, including $106 million in 2013 funding, complementing $106 million $150 million JDRF SDP federally-supported research efforts. The combination of federal diabetes research funding and JDRF’s private investment represents one of the world’s most effective public-private partnerships focused on curing a disease. Thanks to these efforts, we’re accelerating the pace at which research moves through the pipeline and translates into new therapies for people with T1D. Renewing the SDP will capitalize on these investments and help us achieve our mutual goal of a world without T1D. Thank you for your support!

www.jdrf.org