Smart Insulin Therapy Sensor Developed

The newly discovered synthetic hinge concept will be a key to a revolutionary insulin therapy that will help adjust inulin activity according to blood glucose levels.

An insulin medication whose activity in the bloodstream that can adjust according to the blood glucose levels has been invented from Indiana University School of Medicine.

A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences described the use of a synthetic switch that can be opened or closed using a simple sugar sensor.

Optimal Management of Basal-bolus Insulin Regimen
The main objective of going on a basal-bolus insulin regimen is to keep the blood sugar range as healthy as possible.

‘Glucose responsive insulin therapy sensors will be an important new tool in type 1 diabetes management.’

This newly described concept exploits a natural mechanism that designated the protective hinge, which is a natural structural feature that evolved more than half a billion years ago to keep the hormone stable in its closed state but foldable and functional in its open state.

“The reason a glucose-responsive insulin is important is that the biggest barrier to the effective use of insulin, especially in Type 1 diabetes, is the fear of the consequences of blood sugar going too low,” said Weiss, who is also the Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Immediate consequences of severely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can include delirium, convulsions or loss of consciousness, and repeated episodes of severe hypoglycemia can cause cognitive decline.

Insulin Delivery Devices
Insulin delivery devices have evolved drastically since their invention in 1922. They are all aimed to provide insulin to the patients with minimal discomfort.

On the other hand, chronic high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can lead to blindness, stroke or amputation. Staying in the desired blood glucose range is a delicate balance that insulin-dependent diabetics face every day.

In the 100 years since the discovery of insulin, its use as a treatment for diabetes has gone through many significant changes.

New Pill Can Deliver Insulin Orally
New pill helps deliver insulin orally. The capsule is fitted with a tiny needle, coated with insulin, which is injected into the stomach wall. This could replace the need for injections in the future.

While the current analog has been designed to sense fructose, this same approach can be used to develop analogs to sense glucose. Other types of glucose-responsive insulins are being developed elsewhere.

The synthetic hinge exploits naturally occurring processes and introduces fewer external or artificial elements compared to other approaches and makes this invention simplicity.

Smart Insulin Patch may One Day Help Control Diabetes
Newly developed coin-sized smart insulin patch could one day help monitor blood glucose levels and deliver the required insulin dosage in a smart and convenient manner.

While their study uses fructose as a model (representative of a monosaccharide like glucose), it proves that the synthetic hinge concept works.

The research team is already working on glucose-responsive insulin candidates that open and close at the desired high and low glucose thresholds, respectively 70 to 180 milligrams per deciliter. Revolutionary insulin therapy is closer than we think by replacing the fructose sensor with glucose sensors.

Source-Medindia