Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic multifactorial disease depending on both environmental factors and genetic factors. The most prevalent forms of diabetes are caused by decreased production of, or sensitivity to, insulin. With deficient insulin function, glucose accumulates in the blood, leading to vascular and neuronal damage.

International Diabetes Federation estimates that the number of diabetes patients worldwide is 366 million today and the number is expected to grow by an additional 180 million over the next 20 years. In Sweden, it is projected to be in excess of 600.000 diabetics in the year 2030 and as much as 8-12% of the total healthcare budget is used for diabetes-related care today. Importantly approx. 50% of treated patients do not achieve satisfactory glucose control and diabetes is projected to become one of the world’s main disablers and killers within the next twenty-five years.

Developments have been made, but these may be considered to be incremental as opposed to medical breakthroughs. Management has improved and patients now have a larger choice of treatment options, but no major leap forward has yet been made in the search for a cure.

Given the complexity of the disease and the diversity of people affected, a new wave of diabetes innovation is urgently needed in order to stem this global epidemic.