Sweet Shots for Diabetes

09/04/2026

😂😂😂

09/04/2026

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WE DID IT!

A remarkable milestone for islet transplantation and the pursuit of a functional cure for Type 1 diabetes.

The journey began in 2018, when I reviewed Anelixis Therapeutics and its re-engineered anti-CD40L antibody, AT-1501, as a member of Noble Capital Markets’ Scientific Advisory Board. I immediately recognized its potential for transplantation and became an enthusiastic supporter of its development.

Anelixis was subsequently acquired and became part of Eledon Pharmaceuticals, and AT-1501 evolved into tegoprubart.

This was particularly exciting because Dr. Norma Kenyon, our collaborators and I at the University of Miami Diabetes Research Institute (UM-DRI) had worked for over two decades on CD40/CD40L blockade and its potential to protect transplanted islets while avoiding the toxicity of conventional calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus.

The next challenge was bringing tegoprubart to patients.

With the support of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, Breakthrough T1D and The Cure Alliance, we helped launch the first clinical pilot in islet transplantation, led by Dr. Piotr Witkowski at the University of Chicago, in collaboration with our Cell Transplant Center at UM-DRI.

The results have been extraordinary: all 12 transplanted patients achieved insulin independence, with no reported graft-rejection episodes or de novo donor-specific HLA antibodies.

And now comes another historic step:

Eledon has submitted an IND to the FDA for an Eledon-sponsored registrational study of tegoprubart in islet transplantation for Type 1 diabetes.

We are profoundly grateful to Eledon for making this extraordinary commitment and to everyone who believed in and supported this work along the way.

We especially congratulate Piotr Witkowski for his remarkable leadership in translating decades of collaborative research into results for patients.

The next goal is equally important: modernizing the U.S. regulatory framework for deceased-donor islets and ultimately developing strategies that can eliminate the need for chronic anti-rejection therapy altogether.

Anelixis → AT-1501 → Eledon → tegoprubart → insulin independence → registrational pathway.

Now we need HHS and FDA to RECLASSIFY ISLETS similarly to organ transplants like in other developed countries, like Canada, France and China, allowing US academic centers to be competitive again, on the path to a cure and most importantly making it accessible to many more people living with Type 1 diabetes.

Research Institute Foundation

T1D



Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Action Coalition

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

Absolutely love Once A Tree's auctions donation item this year!

They have so supportive since day one of raising funds for our T1D families and community and just a great neighbor!

Hope to see you all at the auction September 26th 10-12 Goose River Golf Club !

We'll be sharing all items next week...offering some for bidding online as well as in person!

08/30/2026

Huge thank you to Courtney for her support of our Sweet Shots 3rd Annual Golf Tournament and T1D community!!

We're hoping to create the most relaxing, special spa basket for you to bid on.

Courtney has initiated that with a generous $75 gift certificate for services.

So excited to offer you all these amazing services and products from local businesses supporting our T1D community!

08/26/2026

⛺️🔥🎶

By diabetesherosquad.com

08/26/2026

08/24/2026

Back to School with T1D.

504 Plan Edition:

T1Ds should NEVER be excluded from school activities because of their autoimmune disease!

Advocate for your T1Ds or yourself as we get ready to head back to school with a 504 plan to protect those with disabilities.

Under the Americans with Disability Act, Type 1 Diabetes is LEGALLY considered a PROTECTED PHYSICAL DISABILITY (even tho we may not look like it!).

#504

08/23/2026

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Nick Jonas took a moment during the Jonas Brothers' tour kickoff to speak directly to his younger self.

Before performing "A Little Bit Longer" at Madison Square Garden this week, Nick reflected on his 21-year journey with Type 1 diabetes, sitting at the piano and opening up to the crowd. "I've been living with type 1 for 21 years now," he said. "And I look at that kid who was 13 or 14. I want to tell him... 'Hey, you have all this to look forward to. It just keeps on getting better and better every year... And you're in the best health of your life, so everything is okay.'"

Nick has been open about his diagnosis since he was a teenager, later co-founding Beyond Type 1 to support others living with the disease. Moments like this are a reminder of how far his advocacy - and his outlook - have come since that first diagnosis.

Sending him love as he continues to turn a hard chapter into something that helps so many others 🤍