William Horton, MD
A new $3.1 million grant from the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has been awarded to William Horton, MD, associate professor of medicine in the UVA Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, to develop a ketone-aware automated insulin delivery system to enable safe use of sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors in people with type 1 diabetes.
Despite recent advances in diabetes treatment and technology, achieving recommended glycemic targets is still difficult for people with type 1 diabetes and, worrisomely, type 1 diabetes confers substantial risk for cardiovascular and kidney disease, even when recommended glycemic targets are achieved. The sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors are antihyperglycemic medications that carry significant benefits in people with diabetes, including reductions in kidney disease progression and hospitalization for heart failure. These medications have been tested in people with type 1 diabetes and shown beneficial effects on glycemic control; however, they also contribute to an increased risk of ketoacidosis that has prevented FDA approval for their use in this patient population. Dr. Horton and his colleagues will address this risk by developing a “ketone-aware” automated insulin delivery system that receives dual input from a continuous glucose + ketone sensor and subsequently optimizes glycemic control while minimizing ketosis.
This project would not be possible without collaboration from the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology (CDT), directed by Boris Kovatchev, PhD, and Marc Breton, PhD. Their expertise has installed CDT as an international leader in the development of new diabetes technology. Drs. Kovatchev and Breton will lead development of the ketone-aware insulin delivery algorithm and then it will be tested in people with type 1 diabetes.
Dr. Horton would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the research staff: Lee Hartline, clinical research coordinator; Mary Oliveri, clinical research program manager; Dillon Flanagan, senior data analyst; Charlie Barnett, senior data specialist; and many others. Their expertise and dedication provide essential support that enables the principal investigator to advance this research.
Filed Under: Research