The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) said that it will begin a diabetes research collaboration with Pfizer, Hadassah Medical Organization, and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem on drugs to replicate and regenerate insulin-producing cells in people with type 1 diabetes.
According to a report by EurekAlert, the research team, headed by Professor Benjamin Glaser (Hadassah Medical) and Dr. Yuval Dor (Hebrew University) will focus on the preclinical evaluation of certain proprietary Pfizer compounds as candidates to promote beta cell replication and regeneration. Drugs that can stimulate beta cell replication and expand beta cell mass have potential as disease-modifying agents for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. The collaboration aims to provide a comprehensive biological characterization of the Pfizer compounds’ potential beneficial effect on beta cell health and survival, building on unique beta cell regeneration models created by Dr. Dor and funded in part by JDRF.
