To strengthen research within non-diabetic endocrinology, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has targeted two new types of research grants for clinical collaborative projects across Denmark. The Foundation has just awarded the first grants totalling DKK 45 million for three research projects.
The largest grant of DKK 25 million is being awarded for a 5-year national research project led by Jens Otto Lunde Jørgensen, Clinical Professor at Aarhus University Hospital. The project will generate knowledge on elucidating and reducing the undesirable side-effects of corticosteroid therapy, which is frequently used in treating people with lung and joint diseases and other diseases. The project will be implemented in collaboration with Odense University Hospital, Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen and the University of Leeds.
“Annually, about 3% of Denmark’s population receive corticosteroids, a synthetic version of naturally occurring adrenocorticotropic hormone. The treatment has significant side-effects, and withdrawing treatment can trigger symptoms of adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency. Although corticosteroid therapy has been used for nearly 75 years, there have been no dedicated studies of its side-effects. Our project will include data from Denmark’s health registries and carry out trials and will result in the first evidence-based guidelines for diagnosing and treating the side-effects of corticosteroid therapy,” says Jens Otto Lunde Jørgensen.
In addition, the Foundation has awarded almost DKK 20 million for two other collaborative projects. One grant of almost DKK 10 million is for a project led by Caroline Kistorp, Professor at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, which will investigate the negative health effects of misusing anabolic steroids and how to prevent and treat these. The project will be implemented in collaboration with Odense University Hospital, Bispebjerg Hospital and the University of Southern Denmark.
The second grant of just under DKK 10 million is being awarded for a project led by specialist physician Morten Frost from Odense University Hospital, who will conduct research on the safety and efficacy of using alendronate to treat and prevent osteoporosis. This project involves collaboration with Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg University Hospital, Holbæk Hospital and Hvidovre Hospital.
“Many non-diabetic endocrine disorders affect numerous people, which requires developing new and better treatments and limiting any negative side-effects. With these grants, we want to help to boost research and strengthen collaboration related to these disorders across Denmark with the aim of achieving more personalized treatments that benefit patients,” says Martin Ridderstråle, Senior Vice President, Patient Care, Novo Nordisk Foundation.
The next application rounds will open in February 2021.
Further information
Christian Mostrup, Senior Programme Lead, +45 3067 4805, [email protected]
