[olsen]

The following is information from a researcher who is head of the Immunology labs at the Mass. General Hospial in Boston whose clinical trials are underwritten by Lee Iaccoca. No one else would give her the money to utilize an 80 yr old TB vaccine to test if it would suppress the auto immune attack on the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Her Phase 1 results were positive and phase II is underway, though she still needs funding.
I post here for those who may suffer from Type I diabetes or have a loved one who does, and also to note Iacocca's participation in backing research. NIH was not interested in funding her trials, nor was any pharmaceutical company.

" We have great news to share with you! Yesterday, at the 2011 scientific meeting of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), we presented additional results from the Phase I human clinical trial testing BCG vaccination as a treatment for advanced type 1 diabetes. These data show the potential of BCG treatment to turn the pancreas "back on" briefly, even in people who have had type 1 diabetes for many years.

We are also happy to announce the launch of the Phase II study. A major gift from the Iacocca Foundation, the support of other philanthropic organizations and the thousands of individuals who have generously donated money have helped us reach the $8.5 million needed to support the first year of Phase II work.

A total of $25M will be needed to support all three years of the Phase II program. Please consider making a donation today to sustain this momentum."


http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-2...ients-pancreas

Faustman’s data show that low doses of an 80-year-old vaccine temporarily reversed type 1 diabetes in a Phase 1 human trial. The vaccine is called bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). It was developed to prevent tuberculosis and is now available as a generic drug. BCG induces the immune system to make tumor-necrosis factor, which kills the T-cells that cause the pancreas to stop producing insulin.

The MGH scientists had plenty of animal studies showing that it was possible to regenerate the pancreas, and therefore restore insulin production in diabetes models. But when MGH went to the pharmaceutical industry looking for funding to research a pancreas-regenerating drug, “everyone said, ‘You’re reversing the disease. How are we going to make money?’ ’’ Faustman says.

So MGH spent years looking for a generic drug that would stimulate the production of tumor-necrosis factor. Iacocca’s foundation supported much of that work, which involved drawing blood from thousands of diabetes patients.

Iacocca instructed Faustman to show that the technique worked in a mouse study, so it could eventually be tried in humans. “No one had ever reversed diabetes in a mouse,’’ she says. “Philanthropy can take risks. He made it clear it was his money and he wanted risky therapies done.’’

Then the foundation put $10 million toward the Phase 1 human trial. All told, Iacocca’s group is the largest single donor to Faustman’s research.

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by olsen

The following is information from a researcher who is head of the Immunology labs at the Mass. General Hospial in Boston whose clinical trials are underwritten by Lee Iaccoca. No one else would give her the money to utilize an 80 yr old TB vaccine to test if it would suppress the auto immune attack on the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. Her Phase 1 results were positive and phase II is underway, though she still needs funding.
I post here for those who may suffer from Type I diabetes or have a loved one who does, and also to note Iacocca's participation in backing research. NIH was not interested in funding her trials, nor was any pharmaceutical company.

" We have great news to share with you! Yesterday, at the 2011 scientific meeting of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), we presented additional results from the Phase I human clinical trial testing BCG vaccination as a treatment for advanced type 1 diabetes. These data show the potential of BCG treatment to turn the pancreas "back on" briefly, even in people who have had type 1 diabetes for many years.

We are also happy to announce the launch of the Phase II study. A major gift from the Iacocca Foundation, the support of other philanthropic organizations and the thousands of individuals who have generously donated money have helped us reach the $8.5 million needed to support the first year of Phase II work.

A total of $25M will be needed to support all three years of the Phase II program. Please consider making a donation today to sustain this momentum."


http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-2...ients-pancreas

Faustman’s data show that low doses of an 80-year-old vaccine temporarily reversed type 1 diabetes in a Phase 1 human trial. The vaccine is called bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). It was developed to prevent tuberculosis and is now available as a generic drug. BCG induces the immune system to make tumor-necrosis factor, which kills the T-cells that cause the pancreas to stop producing insulin.

The MGH scientists had plenty of animal studies showing that it was possible to regenerate the pancreas, and therefore restore insulin production in diabetes models. But when MGH went to the pharmaceutical industry looking for funding to research a pancreas-regenerating drug, “everyone said, ‘You’re reversing the disease. How are we going to make money?’ ’’ Faustman says.

So MGH spent years looking for a generic drug that would stimulate the production of tumor-necrosis factor. Iacocca’s foundation supported much of that work, which involved drawing blood from thousands of diabetes patients.

Iacocca instructed Faustman to show that the technique worked in a mouse study, so it could eventually be tried in humans. “No one had ever reversed diabetes in a mouse,’’ she says. “Philanthropy can take risks. He made it clear it was his money and he wanted risky therapies done.’’

Then the foundation put $10 million toward the Phase 1 human trial. All told, Iacocca’s group is the largest single donor to Faustman’s research.

"But when MGH went to the pharmaceutical industry looking for funding to research a pancreas-regenerating drug, “everyone said, ‘You’re reversing the disease. How are we going to make money?’ ’"


MY GOD!!!!

It's ALWAYS about money.

Very sad!!

[lurkingforacure]

Originally Posted by MelodyL

"But when MGH went to the pharmaceutical industry looking for funding to research a pancreas-regenerating drug, “everyone said, ‘You’re reversing the disease. How are we going to make money?’ ’"


MY GOD!!!!

It's ALWAYS about money.

Very sad!!

Yes, and being thrust into the money-making medicine world in general and PD in particular, I have come to see just how much about money things really care. BUT, people do have to make a living, and so I have no problem with folks making money as long as it's within reason. The bigger the reward, the better the quality of people a project will attract and the harder they will work...we all know this. It's when things get twisted and the powers that be realize that no cure will ever bring in as many $$$ as the involuntary annuity that "treatments" bring in, or, for that matter, the research $$$ friends and relatives of those suffering from a disease will pay in the hopes of bettering the life of that friend/relative.

My fear is that after years and years of giving and supporting a cause like PD, the public loses hope and/or runs of out money to give (we're already seeing this, or at least I am) and then the research gravy train slows and eventually stops.

I do think, however, that there are many researchers out there that, while motivated by the almighty dollar, are also equally or more motivated by the human element. Dr. Anderson is one. If you don't remember, she is the doc who is working on lithium for PD at the institute for anti-aging, initially funded solely by Lee Iococca because apparently, no one else would giver her the time of day. Now that she is drawing attention with her positive results, others are contributing funds but the bulk is still coming from Iococca.

[lindylanka]

"The bigger the reward, the better the quality of people a project will attract and the harder they will work...we all know this."

The biggest medical breakthroughs of the 20th century did not come from this, they came from either dedicated underfunded work over many years, or from 'accidental' discovery of a special property to pharmaceuticals that had not been expected. Passion and creative scientific vision don't always translate into drawing down adequate funding. There are a lot of vested interests......