Insulin, which automatically turns on and off in response to blood sugar levels, has proven successful in reducing the risk of dangerously low blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia, in animals. Researchers say the drug holds great promise for the tens of millions of insulin-requiring diabetics around the world.
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can be dangerous for diabetics. Because the brain relies on glucose to function properly, severe hypoglycemia can cause seizures and loss of consciousness. People who take insulin have questions like, “Did I take the right amount of insulin to cover this meal? Or is it too much?” It's something I always worry about. or “How will the exercise I just did affect my blood sugar levels?”
It was a while ago, new atlas We covered the development of nanotechnology to prevent potentially dangerous hypoglycemic events in diabetic patients. Novo Nordisk is a large pharmaceutical company based in Denmark. insulin rangewent one step further and designed an insulin that switches on and off in response to blood sugar levels.
The design of insulin, which can change its biological activity depending on blood sugar levels, 1970s. Sadly, despite years of hard work and attempts, nothing came of it.
“A better approach seems to be to give insulin itself glucose-responsive properties, allowing it to respond reversibly to glucose,” the researchers said. “Remarkably, blood glucose levels vary within a narrow range (approximately 2–20–30 mM). [36 mg/dL to 360-540 mg/dL] (in diabetic patients) Therefore, for glucose-sensitive insulin to have an effect, the biological activity of insulin must change quite rapidly. ”
To achieve this goal of glucose responsiveness, the researchers introduced an “on/off switch” into the insulin molecule. Under high glucose conditions, the modified insulin NNC2215 switches on, increasing insulin activity and absorbing excess blood sugar from the blood. When glucose levels drop, the switch closes and prevents glucose uptake.
They first tested NNC2215 in the lab to see how it responded in the 3-20 mmol/L glucose range. They found that the binding affinity of the modified insulin to the insulin receptor increased 3.2-fold as blood sugar levels changed. Next, in rat and pig models, NNC2215 was found to be as effective as human insulin in lowering blood sugar levels, and its increased glucose sensitivity provided protection against hypoglycemia.
Although still in its early stages, the results of this study are promising. Novo Nordisk's modified insulin has great potential to prevent diabetic patients from worrying and potentially dangerous rapid drops in blood sugar levels, especially those that occur during sleep.
Some people with diabetes develop “.fear of hypoA specific and extreme fear that blood sugar levels will fall too low, as opposed to reasonable concerns about hypoglycemia. People with diabetes who fear hypoglycemia may intentionally raise their blood sugar levels to avoid hypoglycemia, increasing their risk of diabetes-related complications and reducing their quality of life and mental well-being. Especially for these diabetics, glucose-responsive insulins like NNC2215 may help reduce fear.
“In conclusion, insulin conjugates with NNC2215-like properties may improve the treatment of diabetes by potentially lowering the risk of hypoglycemia and partially covering the need for fast-acting prandial insulin.” “We have the potential to do so,” the researchers said. “The combination of these two features should allow for more aggressive insulin titration without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. This should reduce the short- and long-term risks and complications associated with diabetes. It could be improved.”
The study was published in the journal nature.
sauce: novo nordisk via Simex
