Tampere, Finland – 3rd of September 2025 – Vactech Oy is proud to announce its acceptance as a member of the ENT1DEP project (Enterovirus-linked type 1 diabetes Exposed – mechanisms and Prevention), an ambitious European initiative that aims to transform our understanding of how enterovirus (EV) infections contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D).
The ultimate goal of ENT1DEP is to identify individuals at high risk of developing T1D due to EV infections and intervene early. By combining expertise across multiple scientific disciplines and employing cutting-edge technologies, ENT1DEP seeks to uncover the biological mechanisms that trigger T1D and to evaluate promising preventive strategies such as vaccines and antiviral therapies.
Tackling a Growing Global Challenge
Type 1 diabetes is the second most common chronic illness among children worldwide, affecting 9.5 million people globally today, with numbers projected to nearly double by 2040. Europe, and particularly Finland, has some of the highest incidence rates of T1D in the world. The health and economic burden are immense: in the U.S. alone, T1D costs society an estimated $16 billion annually in healthcare expenses and lost productivity.
While insulin therapy has been the cornerstone of T1D treatment for a century, it does not prevent disease onset. In spite of the huge technological progress in insulin treatment regimes, the disease still causes several long-term complications reducing the average life-expectancy of the patients. Therefore, finding ways to prevent T1D has long been a major goal of medical research. Recent breakthroughs, including FDA approval of a therapy that can delay T1D progression for two years, offer new hope, although these does not prevent the initial autoimmune process or the viral triggers of the disease. ENT1DEP builds on this momentum to pursue comprehensive strategies that could significantly reduce T1D incidence, improve quality of life, and lower healthcare costs worldwide.
A Collaborative Effort
ENT1DEP brings together leading European universities, research institutions, and biotech companies. Through advanced human cell models, immune response studies, and early-stage vaccine and antiviral trials, the project aims to generate actionable knowledge for prevention and treatment—not only of T1D, but potentially other non-communicable diseases linked to infections.
Vactech’s Role
As a pioneer in enterovirus vaccine development, Vactech contributes its deep expertise in vaccine R&D and translational science to ENT1DEP. With a long-standing focus on preventing virus-associated diseases, Vactech is well positioned to support the project’s mission of turning cutting-edge research into effective preventive solutions.
“Joining ENT1DEP is an important step for Vactech,” said Tero Välimaa, CEO of Vactech Oy. “We are excited to collaborate with leading European partners to accelerate the development of vaccines and antiviral strategies that could reduce the global burden of type 1 diabetes.”
🔗 Learn more about ENT1DEP