Cardia to research diabetes links

Cardia Technologies has signed an option agreement worth $10,000 on diabetes type 1 food toxin research at the International Diabetes Institute (IDI).

The agreement allows Cardia exclusive negotiation rights for the R&D research over the next 12 months.

"We took the option as the initial data was quite promising," said Pat Volpe, chairman of Cardia Technologies, explaining that the agreement allows them to be locked into the project without committing any funds.

"It gives IDI and Monash a chance to demonstrate over the next 12 months how they feel the project will advance."

The IDI type 1 food toxin project is investigating a link between a food toxin and damage to the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The toxin, bafilomycin, is produced by Streptomyces, common soil bacteria that can infect potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables.

Prof Paul Zimmet, director of IDI, said that the research was the first to link a common food to type 1 diabetes.

"A common food toxin would provide a wider cause of type 1 diabetes and may also have a role in the causation of type 2 (or adult) diabetes," he explained.

Zimmet said that the toxin could potentially be used to develop a vaccine to protect people genetically susceptible to diabetes, as well as diagnostic tests to detect the bafilomycin toxin in vegetables.

Cardia's medical biotechnology division has recently invested in IDI's type 2 diabetes research, announcing in May that it would spend up to $1.3 million developing a compound found in human urine with insulin resistance-reducing properties.

"In that project we have exclusive rights globally to marketing, distribution and manufacturing of any anti-diabetes drug therapy developed," said Volpe.

Volpe said that Cardia was attracted to IDI and Monash because of the high calibre of research performed at the Institute and at Monash University, and Zimmett's reputation as a world leader in diabetes research.

"It gave us the right ingredients," he said.