Indian scientists invent insulin pills for diabetics

[Imperial]

Found this news article very interesting:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home ... 635131.cms

Extract:

LONDON: In a big breakthrough, Indian scientists have done what medical science has been trying to achieve since 1930 - an insulin pill for diabetics.

Since insulin's crucial discovery nearly a century ago, countless diabetes patients have had to inject themselves with the life-saving medicine.

 

[noblehead]

We have been here many times before, I remember one such story back in the early 80's.

 

[paul-1976]

I personally put more faith into the concept of inhalable insulin.

 

[AMBrennan]

I wonder how dosing would work - homeopathic-sized pills so you can take 16.5u with your meal?

 

[noblehead]

I wonder how dosing would work - homeopathic-sized pills so you can take 16.5u with your meal?

Not sure tbh, can't see it being very flexible....... although I might be wrong!

 

[hanadr]

I don't believe any oral route for insulin can work. Insulin is a PROTEIN. thus it's going to be DIGESTED. If they manage to shield it from the digestive process, you will be stuck with a large molecule which won't cross membranes to get into the blood vessels.

 

[AMBrennan]

Well, too bad you are wrong - they explain how it's done and it does work in rats (unless they are outright lying but that would be lame).

They packaged insulin in tiny sacs made of lipids, or fats called liposomes, which are already used in some treatments. Then, they wrapped the liposomes in layers of protective molecules called polyelectrolytes.

To help these "layersomes" get absorbed into the bloodstream, they attached folic acid, a kind of vitamin B that has been shown to help transport liposomes across the intestinal wall into the blood.

In rats, the delivery system lowered blood glucose levels almost as much as injected insulin, though the effects of the "layersomes" lasted longer than that of injected insulin.

 

[ElyDave]

seems interesting, essentially wrapping it in plastic to prevent the digestion and giving it the functional tail to allow it to be absorbed. Polyectrolytes are used in water treatment and corrosion prevention and are essentially a short plastic molecule with a charged molecule in the tail to make them orient themselves in a particular direction. I'm guessing they'll need to convince the licensers that there is no toxicity issue as well.

Would be great if it can get through trials and give us another option. I guess it would replace MDI, but still leave space fr pump users to carry on as they are.