STRELITZ DIABETES INSTITUTES HAS

A NEW PARTNER IN CURE RESEARCH

Eastern Virginia Medical School has announced that it has signed an agreement with Global Medical Products Companies, Inc. for research on the development of an islet cell regenerative drug to cure diabetes at the Leonard R. Strelitz Diabetes Institutes. The license and research funding agreement provides $6 million over five years.

Dr. Leon-Paul Georges, Director of the Strelitz Diabetes Institutes has stated that this new avenue of funding for infrastructure support will greatly enhance the speed of research momentum. "Global Medical Products will help telescope the research process at the Institutes and shorten the distance we must travel to find a cure for diabetes," said Dr. Georges.

Global Medical Products is a new company that links biotechnology and medical discoveries to product application. Formed in May 1999, GMP is investing millions in promising, breakthrough research in cardiovascular, glaucoma, neurology, genetics, and now with EVMS, diabetes. President of the company, Dr. Bart Chernow said, "We are so pleased to be working with Drs. Vinik and Georges, who we recognize as internationally-renowned physicians and scientists. Although the research is still in its early stages, we are hopeful that the promise of islet cell regeneration research translates into improved care of diabetic patients. We look forward to a number of years of outstanding collaboration."

Islet cell regeneration research has expanded over the past three years since the announcement of the discovery of the gene INGAP to include collaborations with scientists around the world. "These collaborations have brought islet cell regeneration research to the level of developing molecular biological techniques for the production of the protein derived from the INGAP gene," said Dr. Aaron I. Vinik, Director of the Strelitz Diabetes Research Institute. "This injection of funds, knowledge and expertise will greatly shorten the time when people with diabetes can expect to benefit from this technology."

Along with drug development research, SDI scientists will continue their basic science research investigating how INGAP works to produce insulin. This complimentary avenue of research, funded primarily by the Diabetes Institutes Foundation, will continue to focus on finding the receptor that INGAP binds to in order to stimulate cells to grow to produce insulin. SDI scientists believe that once they discover how INGAP works, they may also be able to sensitize the body to INGAP and stimulate cells to grow by facilitating binding INGAP with its receptor. They also believe that they may be able to stimulate its release or turn on the receptor to produce cells that make insulin without the use of INGAP. It is hoped that this research will eventually allow scientists to predict and prevent diabetes by screening people who are genetically predisposed to have a deficiency of INGAP.

The two avenues of research will nurture one another. Dr. Vinik is particularly excited about his research affiliation with other renowned scientists working with Global Medical Products. He said, "The shared information and techniques of the interdisciplinary braintrust of GMP scientists will undoubtedly enrich and accelerate our islet cell regeneration research."

In addition to funding SDI cure research, Global Medical Products is investing in the overall development of the Institutes' diabetes program by providing a $500,000 grant for education and patient care programs, $100,000 toward the new Edward E. Brickell Library at EVMS and $30,000 each for lectureships at EVMS and McGill University in Montreal. When presenting the checks for these funds to EVMS at a recent press conference, GMP President Dr. Bart Chernow remarked, "We all do well by doing good. In our support of research, clinical care and education at EVMS to help people, we are reflecting what Global Medical Products Companies is all about helping people through a tripartite approach to medicine."

PHOTOS FROM TOP:

1. Presentation of a check for $6 million for INGAP research by Dr. Bart Chernow to Dr. Leon-Paul Georges, SDI Director.
2. SDI's Dr. David Taylor-Fishwick, Steve Gorlin, Chairman GMP Companies Inc., Mike Forem, GMPÕs Project Manager and SDI's Dr. Gary Pittenger.
3. E.J. Strelitz, President of DIF Board of Directors with sister Bonnie Brand (left) and wife Randi.
4. Dr. Aaron I. Vinik shares a light moment with GMP's Mike Forem.
5. DIF Board Member Jerry Harris with Dr. Gary Pittenger, Director of SDI's Protein Chemistry Laboratory.
6. Dr. Bart Chernow, President of GMP Companies with Hamilton Jordan, Chief of Staff for President Jimmy Carter and Dr. Edward E. Brickell, President of EVMS.