Glucose-sensitive insulin removing the need for people with type 1 diabetes to check their blood sugar could be a step closer (Intelligent nanotechnology for efficient insulin delivery) in research led by RMIT and Monash University.
Published in the world-renowned journal, Advanced Materials, the first research shows a pancreas system that can accurately release insulin only when the body needs it, making blood sugar control more reliable.
The original authors Dr. Sukhvir Kaur Bhangu (formerly RMIT, now CSIRO) and Dr. Rong Xu (Monash Universit) said that if it works in humans, only two injections per day will be necessary.
Current insulin therapy requires people to monitor their blood sugar levels throughout the day and carefully calculate a number of parameters based on diet, exercise, stress, illness and other factors.
Some will run up to five times a day.
Continuous blood glucose monitoring devices eliminate, or at least reduce, the need for a stick, and insulin pumps can automatically (Intelligent nanotechnology for efficient insulin delivery) deliver insulin, but they are expensive and not always available. -calculate the correct amount of insulin to administer.
The new system developed by a collaboration of RMIT, Monash, University of Melbourne and the Baker Institute solves these issues by responding directly to blood glucose levels, which insulin currently does not do.
A multidisciplinary group “Artificial Pancreas System” uses phytoglycogen nanoparticles to deliver and release insulin in response to blood glucose levels.
This nanosugar platform helps to deliver fast and stable glucose-responsive insulin in a more sustainable and smarter way than other systems.
Xu said he only needs one injection every 12 hours and is self-regulating. Xu said, “this method will mean less injections and can’t measure glucose.”
The research led to a joint patent application by RMIT, Monash and Melbourne universities. The research came from an NHMRC Ideas Grant awarded to the lead team, RMIT Associate Professor Francesca Cavalieri and Professor Christoph Hagemeyer at Monash University, and co-author Professor Frank Caruso at the University of Melbourne to develop a variable insulin model.
Although more research is needed, the results are promising. Cavalieri said the research team, which includes several doctors, hopes to get funding to continue the work and possibly conduct clinical trials.
“This new method is not only effective, it is destructive and uses natural methods, which greatly reduces the risk of adverse reactions or immune reactions,” she said.
Source: RMIT
