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PRIME · Project

Connecting Diabetes and Brain Diseases Through Insulin for Earlier Diagnosis and Treatment

healthPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)
prime-study.eu

Imagine insulin isn't just about blood sugar — it also runs important processes in your brain. When insulin signaling goes wrong, you don't just get diabetes or obesity; you may also be at higher risk for Alzheimer's, OCD, or even autism. PRIME gathered 23 research teams across Europe to map out how these conditions are connected through insulin across a person's lifetime. They looked at repurposing existing medications, tested lifestyle interventions like diet and exercise tracked by mobile health apps, and developed candidate biomarkers so doctors could spot trouble earlier.

By the numbers
EUR 6,000,000
EU funding for insulin multimorbidity research
23
Research and industry partners in the consortium
9
European countries involved
9
SMEs in the consortium
39%
Industry partner ratio in consortium
21
Total project deliverables produced
The business problem

What needed solving

Diabetes, obesity, and brain diseases like Alzheimer's are typically treated as separate conditions by different specialists, even though they share common insulin-related mechanisms. This siloed approach means patients get fragmented care, drug companies miss repurposing opportunities, and diagnostics companies lack tools to detect cross-condition risk early. Companies in pharma, diagnostics, and digital health are leaving value on the table by not connecting the metabolic-brain disease dots.

The solution

What was built

PRIME produced 21 deliverables including an Executive White Paper with policy and clinical intervention recommendations, an e-learning module for clinicians on insulinopathies, and dissemination activities like a campfire session at the ECNP Congress. The core scientific outputs include candidate biomarkers for early detection, validated drug repurposing targets, and mHealth-monitored lifestyle intervention protocols tested across population and clinical cohort data.

Audience

Who needs this

Pharmaceutical companies with diabetes drug portfolios seeking CNS expansionDiagnostics companies developing multi-condition biomarker panelsDigital health companies building chronic disease management platformsHealth insurance companies looking to reduce multimorbidity costsClinical decision support software vendors targeting metabolic and neurological care
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceuticals
enterprise
Target: Mid-to-large pharma companies with diabetes or CNS drug portfolios

If you are a pharmaceutical company with existing diabetes drugs looking to expand indications — this project identified causal mechanisms linking peripheral insulin problems to brain diseases like Alzheimer's and compulsive disorders. PRIME validated drug repurposing opportunities and identified novel drug targets, backed by data from the world's largest registries and clinical cohorts across 9 countries. This could shorten your R&D timeline for new CNS indications of existing metabolic drugs.

Digital Health & mHealth
SME
Target: Companies developing remote patient monitoring or chronic disease management apps

If you are a digital health company building tools for chronic disease management — PRIME developed and tested mHealth assessment approaches for monitoring diet, exercise, and lifestyle interventions in patients with insulin-related conditions. With 23 partners validating these approaches across 9 European countries, you gain access to clinically tested protocols for integrating metabolic and mental health monitoring into a single platform.

In Vitro Diagnostics
mid-size
Target: Diagnostics companies developing biomarker-based tests

If you are a diagnostics company looking for new biomarker opportunities — PRIME developed and tested candidate biomarkers for early detection of insulin-related multimorbidity, connecting metabolic conditions to brain diseases. Their work spans from molecular-level iPSC neuron studies to population-level validation. These biomarkers could become the basis for screening tests that catch Alzheimer's risk in diabetes patients years earlier.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or access PRIME's research outputs?

PRIME was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) with EUR 6,000,000 in EU contribution. Licensing terms for specific outputs like biomarker candidates or drug targets would need to be negotiated with the coordinator (Radboud University Medical Center) and relevant consortium partners. As a publicly funded project, some results may be available under open access terms.

Can these findings work at industrial scale for drug development or diagnostics?

PRIME leveraged what they describe as the world's largest registry, clinical cohort, and population data sets for validation. The project included 9 industry partners (39% of the consortium), suggesting real-world applicability was built into the research design. However, further clinical validation and regulatory approval would be needed before commercial-scale deployment of biomarkers or repurposed drugs.

What is the IP situation — can we license specific results?

The consortium includes 9 SMEs and 9 industry partners across 9 countries, so IP is likely distributed among multiple partners. Specific IP around drug targets, biomarker candidates, and mHealth protocols would need to be discussed with individual rights holders. The coordinator at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands is the best first contact point.

How does this fit with current regulatory requirements for companion diagnostics?

PRIME produced an Executive White Paper with recommendations for health policy strategies and clinical interventions. The project also developed an e-learning module for clinicians on insulinopathies, suggesting alignment with clinical practice standards. Regulatory pathway specifics for any diagnostic product would still need to be worked through with relevant authorities.

What is the timeline from these research results to a marketable product?

The project ran from 2020 to 2024 and is now closed. Based on available project data, outputs include validated biomarker candidates and identified drug repurposing opportunities. For drug repurposing, timelines could be shorter than de novo development, but clinical trials would still be required. For diagnostic biomarkers, validation studies and regulatory approval could take an additional 3-5 years.

How easily can PRIME's mHealth tools integrate with existing clinical IT systems?

PRIME developed mHealth assessment tools for monitoring diet and exercise interventions. Based on available project data, specific technical integration details are not described. The 9 industry partners in the consortium likely contributed to interoperability considerations, but integration specifics would need to be discussed directly with the relevant technology partners.

Consortium

Who built it

PRIME assembled a strong 23-partner consortium across 9 European countries with a notably high industry ratio of 39% — 9 of the partners are industry players and 9 are SMEs. This balanced mix of 9 universities, 2 research organizations, and 9 industry partners suggests the project was designed with real-world application in mind, not just academic output. The coordinator, Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, is a top-tier research hospital, lending clinical credibility. The geographic spread across Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, and Norway gives broad access to diverse patient populations and healthcare systems, which strengthens the generalizability of findings for any company looking to commercialize across European markets.

How to reach the team

Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, Netherlands) — reach out to the project coordinator via the university's research office or the PRIME project website contact page

Order a report on this consortiumSee STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the PRIME team or a detailed brief on licensing their biomarker or drug repurposing results? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right consortium partner for your business case.

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