Why SDI

For more than 40 years, the Schulze Diabetes Institute has pursued its dream to end the threat of type 1 diabetes. Today, we stand at the threshold of making a cure widely available.

In 1974, our specific path was forged when we developed the world’s first safe, effective and minimally invasive cure using islet transplantation. We’ve been passionate about refining this process and bringing it to the public ever since.

Due in large part to the protocols developed by the Schulze Diabetes Institute, human islet transplantation to reverse type 1 diabetes now matches the success rate of whole organ pancreas transplants. This was once considered impossible.

Today, our sole mission is to accelerate the availability and affordability of islet transplantation, while continually improving upon its success.

No other facility in the world is better positioned to make this happen.

Expertise

The Schulze Diabetes Institute is home to the world’s leading experts in islet cell isolation and transplantation. In fact, we developed the process.

Our team of more than 30 professionals is led by internationally renowned transplant surgeon Dr. David Sutherland and Dr. Bernhard Hering who is one of the world’s foremost experts on islet cell transplantation. 

Experience

No other facility in the U.S. has enrolled more patients in Clinical Islet Transplantation Consortium clinical trials than the Schulze Diabetes Institute.

We’ve completed 9 such clinical trials. Results clearly demonstrate that islet cell transplantation is effective. To date:
• 90% of transplant recipients have become insulin-independent
• 50% have remained insulin-independent for at least 5 years
• 80% of recipients remain protected from hypoglycemia after 5 years

Today, we're one of only 9 facilities in the United States selected by the NIH to conduct Phase III clinical trials. This is the final round of study before the FDA will decide whether to approve the procedure as a standard therapy for type 1 diabetes.

Commitment

In 2008, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation pledged $40 million to accelerate the availability of islet transplantation.

This plan established a platform - and the resources - for eventually delivering an assortment of cures using human islets, pig islets and stem cell-derived islets that minimize risk and maximize effectiveness.