Project description
Finding a balance in the treatment of insulin deficiency
Insulin deficiency (ID) is a life-threatening condition caused by pancreatic β cell loss. Untreated ID is a lethal catabolic disease characterised by hyperglycaemia. In addition to increased circulating glucose levels, β cell loss leads to several other complications that are also life-threatening (severe hyperketonaemia and ketoacidosis). It is therefore important to develop ID treatment strategies that improve hyperglycaemia while reducing the risks of other defects caused by ID. Patients on insulin therapy are at increased risk for developing kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, heart attack, stroke and hypoglycaemia. The goal of the EU-funded LifeWithoutInsulin project is to develop treatment compositions that reduce the amount of insulin dosage and the risks associated with insulin therapy.
Objective
Tens of millions suffer from insulin deficiency (ID); a condition caused by pancreatic β-cell loss. If untreated, ID is a lethal catabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. Thus, the focus of ID research and drug development has been mainly on improving strategies to lower hyperglycemia without causing life-threatening hypoglycemia. However, in addition to increased circulating glucose level β-cell loss leads to several “other defects”, some of which (e.g. severe hyperketonemia and ketoacidosis) are life-threatening. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies that in addition to improve hyperglycemia can also rescue the “other defects” (e.g. increased ketogenesis) caused by ID. For example, we have recently published results underscoring the importance of ameliorating hyperglycemia and the “other defects”. Indeed, our data indicate that despite the presence of slightly improved hyperglycemia a normalization of hyperketonemia and hypertriglyceridemia is associated with a significant extension in lifespan of mice with β-cell loss (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-11498-x(opens in new window)). Untreated ID rapidly leads to death. However, since insulin was discovered in the early 1920s, ID has been treated with insulin therapy; an approach that converted this lethal disease into one a person can live with. Yet, insulin therapy is unsatisfactory. Indeed, ID subjects have higher risks for developing kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, heart attack, stroke, and hypoglycemia. Some of these defects are favored by insulin therapy itself. Our goal is to diminishing the amount of insulin dosage and hence reducing the risks associated with insulin therapy (e.g. life-threatening hypoglycemia). The present application aims at providing a composition for improving the treatment of ID. If successful, we will be able to commercialize our composition and improve therapy in millions suffering from ID.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine cardiology cardiovascular diseases
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology stroke
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Pilot
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2019-PoC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1211 Geneve
Switzerland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.