Research grants supporting new protein therapeutics, novel effects of known proteins or new protein technologies for diabetes and obesity.
Novo Nordisk R&D is renewing its research award program to support new and established scientists exploring novel hypotheses in protein-based therapeutics and technologies for diabetes and obesity.
This award program aims to help scientists substantiate early innovation research efforts and clarify if their hypotheses have the potential to result in the effective cure, prevention and/or improved treatment of diabetes and obesity.
Awards cover direct research costs of up to $500,000 for a period of two years. In addition, institutional Facility and Administrative (F&A) costs are fully reimbursed by the Award Program according to institutions official F&A rates.
Diabetes and obesity are significant global health problems Diabetes is a global pandemic that affects more than 285 million people and accounts for 3.8 million deaths per year globally. It is estimated that the prevalence of diabetes will continue to grow to more than 400 million people world-wide by 2030.1
Morbidity associated with uncontrolled diabetes includes cardiovascular disease, loss of eyesight and renal failure. Despite recent advances in diabetes treatment, an estimated 40% or more of people with diabetes are not in optimal control of their disease on currently available treatment options and, therefore, are at an increased risk of experiencing diabetes complications.2
In the US, the number of people with type 2 diabetes has risen to nearly 26 million (8.3% of the US population).3 In Canada, around 2.5 million have type 2 diabetes (7.3% of the Canadian population).4 These numbers are expected to increase even further due in part to a rise in obesity rates and an ageing population.
The profound impact of diabetes on the public health and healthcare costs underscore the need to discover innovative new ways to prevent, treat or even eliminate this serious chronic disease.
Novo Nordisk legacy in diabetes and protein innovation Our legacy in novel protein therapeutics began in 1923 and continues today with our expertise in engineering therapeutic proteins to improve the lives of people living with diabetes. As part of our mission to innovate tomorrow’s therapies, we are committed to supporting and collaborating with academic research institutions and biotech companies to explore new approaches to the effective cure, prevention and/or treatment of diabetes.
1. Diabetes Atlas, 4th edition, International Diabetes Federation, 2009
2. Kilpatrick et al., Curr. Med. Res. Opin. 2008; 24:2651-2661
3. National Diabetes Fact Sheet, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion report, 2011
4. An Economic Tsunami. The Cost of Diabetes in Canada, Canadian Diabetes Association, 2009
The scope of the Novo Nordisk Diabetes Innovation Award Program is to support both young and established scientists exploring novel hypotheses in biologics (protein-based) therapeutics and technologies for diabetes and obesity. The purpose of the Awards is to facilitate translation of new ideas from early diabetes and obesity research into innovation by bringing new biologics concepts to a non (pre) clinical Proof of Principle milestone. The program is open to scientists and academic and medical research institutions located in the US and Canada only. The Applicant must hold a full-time faculty position.
The areas of research supported by these awards are:
Non-clinical research related to new biologic therapeutics and targets amenable to biologics therapeutics or novel effects of known biologics in the field of Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes, including microvascular complications, and Obesity
Protein-based science technologies including oral and injection delivery concepts
Non-clinical research includes translational research (bed to bench), i.e. wet lab analyses on samples procured from clinical studies. The term 'biologics' means large peptide or protein ligands (e.g. hormones), inhibitory or modulating antibodies, immunotherapies, small interfering RNA (siRNA), and cell based concepts (e.g. stem cells). Such biologics either have to be novel or represent novel effects of a known entity. More specifically, biologics in scope under the Awards are those with potential effects on glucose lowering with diabetes co-morbidity benefits, improving β-cell function, increasing β-cell mass, microvascular complications such as nephropathy and retinopathy, and immune intervention of Type 1 diabetes. Excluded from the definition are novel targets easily manipulated by small molecule entities such as enzyme inhibitors and intracellular targets with significant access barriers for larger molecules.
Protein-based science technologies include (but are not limited to) research in protein expression, purification, modification and stability. Delivery concepts cover research into carriers for protein delivery, carrier-protein interactions and stability, as well as exploration of biological barriers to protein delivery.
Submission for support outside these areas will be administratively disapproved by the award program office.
Research Policies Award recipients and their host institutions must comply with applicable Novo Nordisk policies in carrying out their research, including the Animal Ethics, Stem Cell and Gene Technology policies and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for the humane care and use of animals in research.
Terms and Conditions Eligibility criteria have been carefully designed to attract the target candidates for this award program who are at a certain level in their professional development. Submissions outside these parameters will not be considered. By applying for an award, each Applicant agrees to comply with and abide by these terms.
Novo Nordisk USA