Business Title
The Chicago Diabetes Project
Global Collaboration for a Functional Cure
About
In 2004, the Washington Square Health Foundation developed the idea of having researchers from around the world come together to form the Chicago Diabetes Project, a group of highly qualified scientists and their teams who committed themselves to achieving one goal: cure type one diabetes.
The CDP is working to functionally cure diabetes by transplanting insulin-producing islet cells into diabetic patients, which would reduce or eliminate the need for multiple exogenous insulin injections daily and provide better control of blood glucose levels. Our mission is to develop and perfect this procedure in the shortest time possible, without the need for immunosuppressive drugs. Eliminating the use of immunosuppressive drugs will make the procedure more affordable, reduce side effects, and allow the procedure to serve a broader patient population.
The Chicago Diabetes Project is performing late stage critical experiments that are yielding promising results. Dr. Jose Oberholzer, Founder of the Chicago Diabetes Project, along with other CDP collaborators strongly believe that the scientific community has all the necessary components to make cell-based therapy an option for millions of diabetic patients, except one. To eradicate diabetes, our need for funding is critical.
The Chicago Diabetes Project has never wavered from their crystal-clear vision of functionally curing diabetes.
We have overcome countless obstacles to make this scientific discovery a reality for the 1.6 million Americans living with T1D. The CDP has sought out the most brilliant and dedicated surgeons, researchers, physicians and scientists to move these discoveries from the labs and into the body of patients. In the last few decades, a vast amount of scientific knowledge has been gathered dealing with how insulin-producing cells develop, function and survive in the average human body, and how they have become compromised and destroyed in patients with diabetes. The prediction of 5 million Americans who will suffer from diabetes by 2050 is astonishing and something we have to change. We are like no other organization in the world. We are not looking for accolades of success, rather simply want all those who suffer from Type 1 to lead a normal life.
We have a clear vision, the most dedicated scientists, physicians, and surgeons, and the passion to functionally cure this growing epidemic called diabetes.
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Islet Cell Transplantation
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1.6 Million
200,000
1.4 Million
64,000
< 1/3
$16 Billion
Americans living with Type 1 Diabetes
Americans < 20 years old living with T1D
Americans > 20 years old living with T1D
Americans diagnosed with T1D each year
Americans with T1D consistently achieving target blood-glucose control levels
Annual U.S. T1D-associated healthcare expenditures and lost income
Our Team
Clinical Translation and Trials
Beta-Cell Testing Core Facility
Inflammation Research
Biomaterial and Encapsulation Research
Expandable Islet Cell Source Research
Foundation Board Members
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News
The Latest from the CDP
On June 28, 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lantidra, the first allogeneic (donor) pancreatic islet cellular therapy made from deceased donor pancreatic cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Lantidra™ (donislecel) is an innovative treatment approved for adults between 18-70 with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who continue to experience severe hypoglycemia and accept to take immunosuppression. It is the first FDA-approved allogeneic cellular therapy, using donor pancreatic islet cells, specifically designed to treat T1D. University of Illinois is getting ready to launch this in the very near future.
University of Illinois Clinical Trial to begin soon. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have worked with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals to develop an encapsulation technology for type 1 diabetes. Patients over 18 will receive encapsulated porcine islet allowing them to function without immunosuppressive drugs. This breakthrough could lead to a new way to regulate blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes patients. This is the first in the U.S.
Stem cells reverse woman’s diabetes — a world first
Patient is the first person with type 1 diabetes to receive this kind of transplant.
Shusen Wang, first author, was a post doctoral student with the Chicago Diabetes Project at the University of Chicago at Illinois.
This report details the one-year results for the first patient in a clinical trial using islet cells derived from the patient’s own stem cells to treat type 1 diabetes. Transplanted under the abdominal muscle, the cells began producing insulin 75 days after the procedure. By four months, the patient’s blood sugar remained in the target range almost all the time, with normal long-term glucose levels.
Throughout the year, the patient maintained excellent blood sugar control, spending over 98% of time in range, with no transplant complications. These positive outcomes indicate that this method of islet transplantation holds promise for further study.
Advanced Microencapsulation Strategies for Islet Transplantation as a Potential for a Functional Cure
Transplanting pancreatic islet cells can help people with type 1 diabetes control blood sugar, but human patients often face immune reactions and complications with current encapsulation methods.
In this study, researchers tested seven alginate formulations in non-human primates. While all triggered immune responses, three specially modified versions reduced these reactions. The most effective, called Z1-Y15, protected the islet cells for four months without immune-suppressing drugs, showing potential for long-term success in humans.
This technology will next be tested in clinical trials at the University of Padua in Italy, followed by trials in Zurich and Chicago.
Research Programs
1. Clinical Islet Cell Transplantation
Using islet isolated from donated organs and system immunosuppression to prevent rejection and recurrence of type 1 diabetes. The main goal is to obtain FDA approval and, subsequently, approval by Medicare and insurances for reimbursement. This would allow 1,000 to 2,000 patients a year, in the United States alone, to receive an islet cell transplant - this can improve the control of blood sugar levels and, in most patients, lead to long-term insulin independence.
2. Encapsulated Islet Cell Transplantation
Using islet isolated from donated organs, but without long-term immunosuppression. A biomaterial shell protects the islets from rejection. We are working with an international team on bringing this to clinical application in 2022. While this will still limit the number of transplants to 1,000 - 2,000 patients a year, it would be an important proof of concept for use in future, stem cell derived islets, that may have unlimited availability.
3. Unlimited Islet Cells
Identify a safe and practical source of unlimited islet cells that could be transplanted in patients using encapsulation technologies. We are working with experts in stem cell biology, as well as teams working on pig islet cell transplant approaches - two possible sources for less limited applications than cadaveric islets from donated organs.
The Chicago Diabetes Project/Cellmates on the Run Foundation is pleased to announce we have received our first 4 star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator.
We’re proud to receive this rating, because it reflects our deep commitment to finding a functional cure for type one diabetes through islet cell transplants.
A 4-star rating means that when you donate to the CDP, you can be confident your donation will be spent wisely – on cutting-edge research to further our one mission:cure type one diabetes.