Cancer Expert Joins T1D Fund's $150M Push for a Diabetes Cure

BOSTON, MA – January 21, 2026 – The T1D Fund, a venture philanthropy fund dedicated to eradicating type 1 diabetes, has announced a significant strategic escalation in its mission, appointing renowned immunology and cell therapy expert Dr. Teresa Foy as a strategic consultant. The move coincides with the organization's ongoing $150+ million capital raise, signaling an aggressive new phase aimed at accelerating potentially curative therapies for the autoimmune disease.

Dr. Foy, a recently retired executive from Bristol Myers Squibb and a veteran of Celgene, brings over 25 years of high-level biomedical leadership. Her appointment is a clear indicator of the Fund's intent to double down on complex, cutting-edge science, particularly in areas where the battle against cancer has yielded insights directly applicable to T1D.

This dual development—injecting both elite scientific expertise and substantial financial firepower—positions the T1D Fund to make larger, more decisive investments in companies pursuing a definitive end to the disease, a dramatic shift from the decades-long focus on management and symptom control.

A New Arsenal from an Unlikely Source: Cancer Research

At the heart of this strategic enhancement is the cross-pollination of ideas from two vastly different medical fields: oncology and autoimmune disease. Dr. Foy's career has been centered on immuno-oncology (I-O), a revolutionary approach that harnesses the body's own immune system, particularly T-cells, to identify and destroy cancer cells. In type 1 diabetes, the script is flipped: the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the body's insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Dr. Foy’s expertise lies in understanding the intricate pathways that turn the immune system on and off. During her tenure at Bristol Myers Squibb, she led the Cancer Immunology and Cell Therapy Thematic Research Center, overseeing the translation of early-stage I-O and cell therapy concepts into clinical-stage assets. Even more critically for T1D, her earlier work at Celgene involved foundational research into myeloid cells and regulatory T-cells—pathways that are essential for establishing and restoring immune tolerance. Learning how to tame an overactive immune system in T1D requires the same deep understanding of cellular pathways used to unleash it against tumors.

"Having spent my career developing therapeutics for oncology and inflammation, I see a tremendous opportunity to apply those insights to T1D," said Dr. Foy. "I am honored to join the T1D Fund and contribute to a mission that is shifting the paradigm from reactive symptom management to proactive cure development for T1D patients."

Her experience provides the T1D Fund with an invaluable internal resource for vetting the next generation of therapies, which are moving beyond simple insulin replacement and into the complex realms of immunomodulation and cell replacement. These approaches aim not just to supply insulin, but to halt the underlying autoimmune attack and potentially restore the body's own ability to produce insulin.

The Power Play: Combining Capital with Expertise

The appointment of a scientific leader of Dr. Foy's caliber is powerful on its own, but its combination with a major capital infusion of over $150 million creates a formidable force for innovation. This new fund is explicitly designed to empower the T1D Fund to move beyond seed-stage investments and write larger checks for more mature, high-conviction opportunities.

"Anchored by our excellent track-record and ongoing $150+ million capital raise, we are positioned to make larger, more strategic investments into companies pursuing true disease-modifying or curative potential in T1D," said Elizabeth Mily, CEO of the T1D Fund. She emphasized that Dr. Foy’s deep experience is critical to this new strategy.

"Teri's profound experience in translating early discovery into human proof-of-concept across diverse T-cell therapeutic modalities and immune pathways strengthens our ability to evaluate, invest in, and support the field's most promising assets as we pursue effective therapeutics for patients," Mily added.

For biotech startups working on ambitious but high-risk T1D cures, this dual approach of 'smart money' is a game-changer. It provides not only the necessary capital to navigate the expensive path of drug development but also the expert guidance to avoid scientific pitfalls. Dr. Foy’s background, which includes senior roles at Corixa and GlaxoSmithKline and nearly a dozen patents, gives her the credibility to distinguish true breakthroughs from mere incremental advances, ensuring donor and investment capital is deployed with maximum impact.

Shifting the Paradigm from Management to Cure

For the millions of people living with type 1 diabetes, daily life is a relentless cycle of blood sugar monitoring, carbohydrate counting, and insulin administration. While technological advancements like continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps have improved quality of life, they remain tools for managing a chronic condition. The strategy embodied by Dr. Foy's appointment and the new capital raise represents a tangible commitment to changing that reality entirely.

The focus is now squarely on proactive, cure-oriented therapies. These include cell therapies that implant new, protected beta cells derived from stem cells, and immunotherapies that 're-educate' the immune system to leave these vital cells alone. This is the paradigm shift Dr. Foy spoke of—moving from a defensive posture against the symptoms of T1D to an offensive strategy aimed at its root cause.

This renewed push offers significant hope to the T1D community, which has long awaited progress that moves beyond maintenance. By pursuing investments in companies developing these disease-modifying treatments, the Fund is accelerating a future where a T1D diagnosis no longer means a lifetime of dependency on external insulin and technology.

A Focused Mission in a Complex Landscape

Launched in 2016, the T1D Fund operates with a unique and powerful model. As the first scaled venture fund focused solely on T1D cures, it uses philanthropic dollars to make equity investments in promising early-stage companies. It co-invests alongside traditional venture capital and biopharma, but with a singular mission: to advance life-changing therapies. Any financial returns from these investments are recycled back into the fund, creating a self-sustaining engine for future innovation.

This mission is bolstered by its close partnership with two of the world’s leading T1D organizations: Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. This ecosystem provides the Fund's portfolio companies with unparalleled access to a vast network of research, clinical, and regulatory experts.

By adding Dr. Foy's industry-honed expertise to its already formidable structure, the T1D Fund is not just participating in the search for a cure; it is actively shaping the path forward. This calculated fusion of world-class scientific leadership and substantial capital marks a decisive new chapter, aiming to transform the future for millions living with type 1 diabetes.