The JDRF's T1D Fund is exemplary of an indication-specific advocacy group's aggressive pursuit of a cure through venture philanthropy. Put simply, unlike traditional VC firms who entertain myriad and often diverse pitches from biotech startups, the T1D fund creates financial and advisory incentives for the biotechs in its portfolio to pursue candidates and formalize programs around Type 1 Diabetes therapies. A growing number of the programs the T1D fund is supporting are cell and gene therapies and biologics. Katie Ellias, a managing director at the fund, joins the Business of Biotech to explain the JDRF T1D fund's unique approach, why Type 1 Diabetes is an important and potentially lucrative indication, and how the venture philanthropy model applies to the life sciences startup community.
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