Abvance Therapeutics Receives $3.9M Helmsley Trust Investment for Insulin-Glucagon Formula Development

Abvance Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company originating from the Vanderbilt University Cherrington Lab, is advancing the development of ABV100, a novel insulin-glucagon combination aimed at enhancing glycemic control and reducing hypoglycemia in diabetes patients using rapid-acting insulin. ABV100 integrates the benefits of both insulin and glucagon in one formulation, potentially widening the therapeutic window of insulin.

Recently, the company announced it had secured $3.9 million in non-dilutive funding from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. This financial support will be utilized to advance the pre-clinical development of ABV100.

Hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, remains a significant risk for individuals who are treated with insulin, affecting almost 10 million people in the USA and the EU/UK combined. Despite advancements in diabetes management technologies, hypoglycemia continues to be a frequent and serious issue, known to cause seizures, comas, and even death. The direct medical costs and indirect costs due to lost productivity are considerable. As a result, many patients underdose insulin out of fear of hypoglycemia, leading to dangerously high blood glucose levels. Data shows that only 25% of patients using insulin meet the glycemic targets set by major diabetes associations.

In contrast to insulin, glucagon is used to treat hypoglycemia by raising blood sugar levels. ABV100 aims to leverage this by combining insulin and glucagon, potentially reducing hypoglycemia occurrences while enabling tighter glycemic control. Abvance envisions that ABV100, and other solutions in its pipeline, will offer a broader therapeutic window compared to insulin alone.

Alan Cherrington, co-founder of Abvance and a Professor at Vanderbilt University, highlighted the innovative potential of understanding the interaction between insulin and glucagon. He noted that their research has shown how these peptides interact in a glucose-dependent manner. This understanding led to a proof-of-concept study in type 1 diabetes patients, validating the concept.

David Maggs, co-founder and CEO of Abvance Therapeutics, expressed gratitude for the Helmsley Charitable Trust's support. He emphasized that ABV100 holds promise in mimicking glucose-responsive insulin, which could increase the insulin therapeutic window, lower hypoglycemia risk, and offer additional benefits from glucagon. 

Sean Sullivan, Program Officer for the Type 1 Diabetes Program at Helmsley, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the ongoing burden of hypoglycemia for patients and their families. He stressed the importance of finding solutions to avoid hypoglycemia and expressed excitement about supporting Abvance in bringing this innovative treatment closer to the type 1 diabetes community.

Abvance Therapeutics will host a key opinion leader virtual event on September 26, 2024, to discuss the potential of ABV100 for insulin-requiring diabetes patients. The event will be moderated by Katie Ellias, Managing Director of the T1D Fund, and will feature discussions with distinguished experts and a Q&A session. Participants will include Dr. David Maggs, Dr. Carol Wysham, Dr. Steven Smith, and Dr. Sean Sullivan.

Abvance Therapeutics aims to fundamentally improve glycemic control and quality of life for people requiring rapid-acting insulin through its innovative solutions. 

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