Marcella La Cioppa This new insulin could mean fewer injections and better blood sugar control for diabetes patients.
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Living with diabetes requires an enormous amount of awareness. For people suffering from type 1 diabetes, this often means multiple injections every day, which have to be timely and well-planned. However, the blood sugar level may change any moment, depending on a missed meal or an extra session of exercise.
Controlling blood sugar is a part of daily life for millions who have diabetes. One mistake—taking too much insulin or forgetting a dose—can be catastrophic.
Now, a team of researchers has made a significant breakthrough that could transform life for diabetes patients: they have created what many in the field describe as the “Holy Grail” of diabetes treatment-insulin that knows when to turn on and off.
Picture insulin that sits dormant in the body, springing into action when it senses rising glucose. This “smart” insulin keeps blood sugar in a safe zone, but doesn’t allow dangerous lows that can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, or even death.
The study
Scientists have long dreamed about insulin that can act on its own to keep blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Options have, until now, been limited. Traditional injections of insulin can certainly drive glucose levels down, but once given, their effects cannot be undone. While too little insulin presents a grave risk for individuals with type 1 diabetes, too much insulin causes potentially life-threateningly low glucose levels, a condition known as hypoglycemia. In order to avoid this, patients will often take moderate doses of insulin at the risk of suboptimal long-term blood sugar control.
The new insulin, developed by a team at Novo Nordisk in Denmark led by Rita Slaaby, is nothing short of revolutionary. Dubbed NNC2215, it boasts a molecular “switch.” When glucose levels go up, the insulin turns on; when they fall, it switches off. In tests, NNC2215 reduced blood sugar levels nicely, without the crashes often seen with shots of traditional insulin.
Glucose-responsive insulin-GRI-has long been hailed as the future of diabetes treatment. Unlike conventional insulin, which works in a rigid, fixed manner, GRI adjusts to the body’s needs in real time.
The glucose-dependent switch was created by the research team by adding a glucose-binding macrocycle and a glucoside to the insulin molecule. In studies, they observed a 3.2-fold increase in insulin activity as glucose levels rose from 54 mg/dL to 360 mg/dL. Subjects treated with NNC2215 showed better control of blood sugar fluctuations without dangerous drops in glucose levels.
It can change the whole game for the use of insulin. Patients may inject this smart insulin once a week, compared to taking it a few times every day in the future.
Source: Nature
