DATES FOR DIARY The Kolling Foundation, the fundraising partner for the Kolling Institute, has several fundraising events coming up you can get involved in. Winter Wonderland Masquerade Ball, July 20, 2019 The ball supports pancreatic cancer research at the Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory. For more details, visit the events section at: www.Kolling.com.au City2Surf, August 11, 2019 The Sun-Herald City2Surf is the world’s largest fun run. Since 2011, friends of the Kolling, as well as members of the community, have been part of City2Surf and raised funds for the Kolling Institute. To join the Kolling Foundation team, follow these steps: 1) To join the team, visit www. city2surf2019.everydayhero. com/au/kollingfoundation-team Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, September 15, 2019 If you are up for the challenge, why not join the Kolling Foundation team for the 10km, half-marathon or full marathon. 1. To register your entry go to Blackmores Running Festival 2019, follow the prompts, click on join team and enter “Kolling Foundation Team” Beanstalks, Thursday 19, September 2019 The Kolling Foundation is co- hosting the Beanstalks Team Challenge with ID Events and Be Challenged. Teams can network, strategise, develop leadership skills and improve strategic thinking, at the same time raise funds for research into life-threatening Mitochondrial Disease. For information and to register a team, visit the events section at www.kolling.com.au
NEW DRUG OFFERS HOPE FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES’ PATIENTS When world-renowned kidney specialist Professor Carol Pollock undertook her PhD 30 years ago looking into why people with diabetes developed kidney failure, she had no idea her work would be so instrumental and life-saving today. Using a plant-based compound – not used before in this type of research -- to inhibit salt and glucose re-absorption in the kidney, she demonstrated that in doing so abnormal kidney function due to diabetes could be normalised. Thirty years on and Prof Pollock, from Kolling and University of Sydney, along with world leaders have just overseen a world trial of a drug developed from the same plant based compound, to reduce the risk of kidney failure in patients with Type 2 diabetes and existing kidney damage. “The last time we saw any benefit of a drug on prevention or amelioration of kidney failure in patients with diabetes was in 2001,” she said. “Until now new therapies have not been successful despite an enormous scientific, monetary and emotional investment from clinicians, scientists, investors and patients. “I only wish I knew of the value of intellectual property when I was in my 20s!” For the past five years Prof Pollock, who is also a renal transplant physician at Royal North Shore Hospital, has
been involved in the steering committee of the clinical trial which was stopped prematurely last year because of overwhelming evidence the drug reduced the need for dialysis or a transplant and also reducing heart attack, stroke and death due to cardiovascular disease. The results of the CREDENCE Trial were published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine at the same time it was presented at the World Congress of Nephrology on April 15 2019 in Melbourne. The compound is now available to reduce the progression of renal failure in people with diabetes and to limit the need for dialysis and transplantation. The compounds are now being assessed as to whether benefits may extend to patients with kidney disease independent of diabetes. “This is like a lifetime achievement award, of which I am very proud, but many of my laboratory staff, in particular A/ Prof Usha Panchapakesan has positively contributed to our laboratories’ scientific efforts in achieving this,” Prof Pollock said.
4 KOLLINGNEWS |ISSUE 2| JUNE 2019
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