On December 6, the internationally renowned journal "Natural Biomedical Engineering" published the research results of the long-acting insulin preparation of the team of Professor Gu Zhen and Wang Jinqiang of the School of Pharmacy of Zhejiang University and Jinhua Research Institute.
Research team of Zhejiang University. Courtesy of Zhejiang University.
In the current ** mode, diabetic patients usually need to inject insulin subcutaneously several times a day to maintain fasting and postprandial blood glucose stability in accordance with daily dietary regularity. Is it possible to develop a formulation that precisely controls the release of insulin to achieve effective blood glucose control over a long period of time with one injection?This is a cutting-edge issue that the international scientific community has been aiming at for more than 100 years of insulin discovery.
Through the function of bionic cells, the research team of Gu Zhen and Wang Jinqiang focused on breaking through the problem of how to release insulin quickly after a meal for a long time after a single dose, and slowly release insulin on an empty stomach.
We have developed a novel complex consisting of gluconic acid-modified recombinant human insulin tightly combined with phenylboronic acid-modified polylysine. Gu Zhen introduced that this new complex is similar to an insulin "reservoir" after being injected into the skin, which is not only conducive to the long-term storage of insulin under the skin, but also convenient for rapid release when blood sugar rises.
This new complex is like an "octopus", which firmly grasps the insulin with glucose through the suction cup (phenylboric acid), which changes the dilemma that the previous insulin storage preparations are easy to leak and does not last for a long time, and under normal blood sugar conditions, the complex slowly and continuously releases a small amount of insulin, so as to maintain the stability of basal blood sugar. When the concentration of glucose in the blood increases, glucose can competitively bind to the "suckers" of the complex, which in turn rapidly releases insulin and returns blood sugar to the normal range.
This insulin formulation has been successfully validated in laboratory animals, mice, and pigs. Wang Jinqiang said: "In the existing experiments, we were able to maintain normal blood sugar for more than a week in 30 kg type 1 diabetes model pigs through a single dose, and there were no symptoms of hypoglycemia. ”
Schematic diagram of complex formation and insulin-glucose-responsive release. Courtesy of Zhejiang University.
Professor John Buse, an expert in the field of diabetes in the United States and collaborator, said: "This is an exciting and important breakthrough in the development of new types of insulin, and people have been looking for ways to make insulin more convenient and safe for decades. ”
According to Gu Zhen, at present, the research results are advancing the application of clinical trials, and in the future, it may become a reality to safely and smoothly control sugar in a week or even longer in the future.
*: China Youth Daily client.