Gene Therapy Company Seeking Diabetic Dogs for Study on Insulin Injections

Gene therapy company ENDSULIN is looking for diabetic dogs to participate in a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment that could reduce or even eliminate insulin injections.

The study could be a critical step in advancing a one-time diabetes treatment in both dogs and humans. The gene therapy is based on more than 25 years of research at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison and has proven efficacy in hundreds of small animals.

“We hope to free families who are caring for their diabetic pets around the clock,” said Hans Sollinger, ENDSULIN founder. “Giving dogs and their families their independence back is a step in our mission to do the same for millions of people suffering with diabetes.”

ENDSULIN covers the cost of the procedure, which takes about 30 minutes total and is administered by a certified veterinarian. After treatment, the ENDSULIN team will periodically monitor dogs’ health to observe the long-term effects.

While this particular gene therapy is novel, dogs treated with gene therapies in Barcelona, Spain have been followed for up to 8 years, with no evidence of adverse events.

Ideal dogs are small breeds that have been recently diagnosed with diabetes. Families must be able to bring their pet to the ENDSULIN-designated clinic in Waunakee, WI, for the one-time treatment and five follow-up visits and also provide follow-up information to the ENDSULIN research team.

People with diabetic dogs can learn more about the study or ask about enrollment here or contact ENDSULIN directly at hans@endsulin.com or tinakaur@endsulin.com.