Biopolymer developed to reduce insulin injections for diabetics

A team of researchers may have discovered a way to make life for diabetics easier after developing longer lasting insulin injections.

Researchers at Duke University developed a heat-sensitive polypeptide that is able to fuse with glucagon-like peptide-1 molecules (GLP1). GLP1 molecules are used in the treatment of type-2 diabetics as it causes the pancreas to release insulin. However, diabetic patients often have to inject themselves with insulin twice a day. This is because the GLP1 molecule has a short half-life and disappears from the body quickly.

The team’s biopolymer responds to body heat once injected into the skin. It then forms a depot which dissolves to slowly release insulin into the body.

The team tested the solution on mice and rhesus monkeys and found that a single injection regulated glucose levels for as much as 14 days, at a constant rate.

Co-author and PhD student Kelli Luginbuhl said: “Because our metabolism is slower than monkeys and mice, the treatment should theoretically last even longer in humans. Our hope is that this will be the first bi-weekly or once-a-month formulation for people with type 2 diabetes.”

The team state that the biopolymer could have other uses besides in the treatment of diabetes. It could be applied to long-acting pain medication due its controlled release properties.