News and Press

Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, announced today that it has received an investment from the JDRF T1D Fund to further development of liver targeted insulin, a major step toward helping people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) better manage their blood sugar after meals.

In healthy individuals, the liver is where insulin is first used in an effective and rapid way. But in people with T1D who take insulin through injections and pumps, the liver’s key role in glucose control is compromised. An insulin targeted to the liver would more closely mimic the body’s own mechanisms to even out blood glucose fluctuations, potentially resulting in safer and more effective control of blood sugar.

The Diasome clinical program being supported by the T1D Fund consists of three Phase 2 trials, focused exclusively on delivering liver-targeted insulin to patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The current funding round for the company was led by Medicxi, and other investors include the JDRF T1D Fund, Black Beret Life Sciences, LLC, and an investor group led by McDonald Partners, LLC.

“By adding our proprietary technology to commercial insulin, we have developed a promising way to deliver insulin to the liver,” said Robert Geho, CEO of Diasome. “To date, multiple different human clinical studies have been completed with this technology with no treatment related serious adverse events. If approved, HDV insulin (Hepatocyte Directed Vesicles) would represent the first insulin therapy specifically designed to mimic the mealtime exposure of the liver to insulin. The T1D Fund’s investment will bring us closer to the finish line.”

“We are excited to support Diasome as it moves closer to delivering a liver targeted insulin to market,” said Jonathan Behr, PhD, Managing Director of the JDRF T1D Fund. “The T1D community well knows how challenging and frustrating it is to dose insulin for meals which is why JDRF has long identified a liver targeted insulin as a priority that holds out the promise of increasing post-meal time in range, improving HbA1C control, and potentially a reduction in total insulin usage along with decreased frequency and severity of hypoglycemic events.”

About Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the clinical and commercial development of breakthrough therapies for diabetes and obesity. Based on more than thirty years of research and development in the fields of cell receptor targeting, insulin formulation, and hepatic (liver) glucose metabolism, the Company’s pipeline includes novel, proprietary liver targeted insulins for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients that are currently being tested in multiple human clinical trials. In addition, Diasome is developing a first-in-class oral compound for the Type 2 diabetes population that is based upon new insights into normal glucose metabolism and a novel mechanism of action. For more information, please visit www.diasome.com.

About The JDRF T1D Fund
The JDRF T1D Fund (www.t1dfund.org) is a venture philanthropy fund accelerating life-changing solutions to treat, prevent, and cure type 1 diabetes (T1D) through catalytic commercials investments. Through its investments in partnership with private capital, including venture capital, pharma and foundations, the T1D Fund seeks to attract the private investment necessary to advance drugs, devices, diagnostics, and vaccines into the hands of those living with T1D. The T1D Fund invests in areas strategically aligned with JDRF, with an exclusive focus on the best commercial opportunities. The T1D Fund will reinvest any realized gains into new investments to further its mission.

Media Contact:
JDRF T1D Fund
Amy Montalto, National Director
amontalto@jdrf.org
617-910-7542