Comverse cofounder Boaz Misholi and Israel Diabetes Association president Itamar Raz have raised NIS 70 million for D-Cure, a non-profit fund established to consolidate all Israeli diabetes organization efforts to develop diabetes drugs. Founded last year, D-Cure relies on donations from private organizations. It will continue its fund-raising efforts until it raises NIS 125 million.
Russel Berrie is D-Cure largest donor. Other Israeli and foreign businesspeople also donated. D-Cure says it plans to raise the rest of the money from organizations for "whom Israel is close to their hearts", including international commercial and financial enterprises that have expressed a willingness to donate money to the fund.
"This is a first and innovative attempt to assault a disease on a broad front and bring together everyone conducting research and working on diabetes in Israel," said Misholi. "Only $3 million a year is invested in diabetes research in Israel, far less than the costs of the disease. I hope that the money we raised and will continue to raise will double the amount invested over the next five years.
"D-Cure's goal is to bring together all the organizations conducting diabetes research. If, for example, there are surveys about a particular subject, it's important that the findings are sent to researchers. Our position is that it's also vital to organize seminars at leading medical centers worldwide to expand researchers' knowledge and connections, which will lead to greater cooperation in the future."
D-Cure says there are 190 million diabetes patients worldwide. The disease frequently causes complications and other severe illnesses that place a heavy burden on the public health system. D-Cure says the number of diabetes patients has doubled since the 1970s, and is likely to reach 300 million by 2025. 400,000 cases have been diagnosed in Israel, and one million people have pre-diabetes symtoms that could develop into the disease.
Misholi emphasizes that every third person in Israel over the age of 50 suffers from diabetes or pre-diabetes symptoms. The proportion among Israeli Arabs is even higher - 60-70% of the adult population suffers from the disease.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on October 27, 2004