Specimens and Funding for Type 1 Diabetes Biomarker Research

Creating durable disease remission in type 1 diabetes has proved challenging: etiology remains uncertain and immune interventions have only been able to delay disease progression temporarily. To better understand underlying disease pathways, the ITN conducts sophisticated mechanistic assays on high-quality specimens collected from each of its clinical trials. After a study is complete, unused mechanistic specimens are available to the scientific community for further research through the ITN’s Clinical Trials Research Portal, TrialShare.

These specimens represent a rich resource, and The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for biomarker research using samples from ITN and other NIH-sponsored type 1 diabetes trials: Research Using Biosamples from Selected Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Studies (DP3).

Sample release will also need to be approved by the ITN through its proposal review process. To search and request specimens, create an account at ITNTrialShare.org. Specimens from the following ITN type 1 diabetes studies are currently available:

• ITN007AI. Phase II Multiple Dose Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus with hOKT3γ1 (Ala-Ala).

• ITN017AI. Evaluation of Tolerability, Safety and Pharmacokinetics of hOKt3γ1 (Ala-Ala) in Participants with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

• ITN018AI. Proleukin® and Rapamune® in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

• ITN027AI. Autoimmunity-Blocking Antibody for Tolerance in Recently Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes (the AbATE trial).

• ITN028AI. Study of Thymoglobulin to Arrest Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes.

• ITN005CT. Islet Transplantation in Type I Diabetic Patients using the Edmonton Protocol of Steroid-Free Immunosuppression.

• ITN012AI. Autoantigen Vaccination in Human Type 1 Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus.

Detailed information about sample type, collection schedule and clinical trial study design can be found on TrialShare.

Applications should be submitted to NIDDK no later than April 10^th, 2014. Further instructions are available at the following link.