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Studies on mice have opened the possibility of a new type of insulin tablet that could prevent millions of diabetics from undergoing daily injections, researchers reported Monday.
Additional research is still needed so that Plula, created by experts from Harvard University, can be tested on humans, or available worldwide.
Until now, the main challenge for its development has been to find a way to preserve insulin proteins once they come in contact with stomach acids.
The experimental drug puts insulin in a liquid, contained in a capsule of polymer that resists gastric acid, as described by the Academy of Sciences.
This protein dissolves when it comes into contact with an alkaline environment in the small intestine, thus allowing the release of the insulin-containing fluid.
"Once ingested, insulin must go through a series of obstacles before it is effectively absorbed into the bloodstream," said author of the study, Samir Mitragotri. , professor of bioengineering at Harvard.
"Our approach is almost like a pocket knife, since the tablet has the tools to tackle each of the obstacles it encounters."
The plulette is "easy to produce and can be stored for up to two months at room temperature without breaking down," according to the study.
The researchers did not specify how long it would take to begin testing on humans, but it could take years. Other animal studies are still needed, as well as badyzes of the possible toxic effects of long-term use.
Forty million people worldwide suffer from type 1 diabetes, a condition that requires the daily application of insulin injections, a substance that your body can not produce alone.
According to Mark Prausnitz, director of Qumica and Molecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, looking for doses of insulin to ingest was considered the "holy grail" in diabetes research.
"The implications of this work in medicine can be enormous if the results can be turned into pills that can safely and effectively deliver insulin and other drugs to humans."
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