Just one year after the Kick-off of INNODIA the IMI-supported European consortium has accomplished its first major milestone. INNODIA aims to improve the understanding of type 1 diabetes and is paving the way to novel therapeutic options to prevent and cure this disease. INNODIA will welcome the first patient to be included into the INNODIA European sample collection system on Worldiabetesday.
INNODIA will collect throughout Europe blood samples and data from newly diagnosed patients with type 1 diabetes and first degree relatives of people with type 1 diabetes and study the evolution of the disease in these individuals. 'This way we will be able to better understand the relationship between changes in β-cell function, immune profiles, genetic and environmental factors and their role in the onset of the disease' says Prof Chantal Mathieu, from the University of Leuven, Belgium and coordinator of INNODIA.
INNODIA has set up a network in Europe to collect samples, but also to perform coordinated clinical intervention studies of which the first interventions will start soon.
'These are exciting times' says Prof David Dunger, from the University of Cambridge, UK and coordinator of INNODIA's clinical sample collection network. 'In close collaboration with patients, we have developed protocols for follow up, information brochures, informed consents and materials necessary for this collection and will be creating a living biobank'. INNODIA joins forces between academic and industry researchers, but also involves patients and their families. 'Listening to the patient's voice and following their advice was crucial in setting up this effort' concludes Dr. Olivier Arnaud from the JDRF International (formerly, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and coordinator of the INNODIA Patient Advisory Committee.
Watch the INNODIA video and Kyle's story reflecting on type1 diabetes and his role in INNODIA: https://www.innodia.eu/news/detail/?nid=54.
Within the coming months the sample collection initiative will be expanded in more INNODIA centers across Europe opening the possibility for patients throughout Europe to participate. Check out the INNODIA website for upcoming news.
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About the Innovative Medicines Initiative
The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) is working to improve health by speeding up the development of, and patient access to, the next generation of medicines, particularly in areas where there is an unmet medical or social need. It does this by facilitating collaboration among the key players involved in healthcare research, including universities, pharmaceutical companies, other companies active in healthcare research, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), patient organisations, and medicines regulators. This approach has proven highly successful, and IMI projects are delivering exciting results that are helping to advance the development of urgently-needed new treatments in diverse areas.
IMI is a partnership between the European Union and the European pharmaceutical industry, represented by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Through the IMI 2 programme, IMI has a budget of €3.3 billion for the period 2014-2024. Half of this comes from the EU's research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020. The other half comes from large companies, mostly from the pharmaceutical sector; these do not receive any EU funding, but contribute to the projects 'in kind', for example by donating their researchers' time or providing access to research facilities or resources.