"Smart insulin"

The daily lives of more than 46 million people worldwide with type 1 diabetes can be made much easier and safer.

The development is owned by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the biotechnology firm Gubra. The technology makes it easier and safer to regulate blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 diabetes.

"That's why we've taken the first step towards self-regulating insulin, according to a patient's blood sugar. It has great potential to significantly improve the lives of people with type 1 diabetes," explains Professor Knud J. Jensen of the University's Department of Chemistry. Copenhagen, one of the researchers of this new insulin.

Effective in rats

Researchers have actually developed a new type of insulin with a built-in molecular bond that can sense the amount of glucose in the body. As blood sugar rises, the molecule becomes more active and secretes more insulin. If the body has a decrease in blood sugar, less insulin is released.

"Today, people with type 1 diabetes need to inject insulin many times a day and often monitor their blood sugar with a glucometer. The new development allows people to inject a new insulin molecule less often on trial days and even less to think about. Most importantly, insulin always works alone. It lowers blood sugar, although it may not be what needs help. This is what we are trying to solve with a new molecule, "- says Knud J. Jensen.

Although the new "automated" insulin is a significant step toward improving the treatment of diabetes, it will be some time before revolutionary insulin becomes part of the daily lives of people with diabetes.

The developers tested the insulin molecule in rats, and it proved to be effective. The next step is to develop a molecule that will work faster and more accurately. Finally, testing it on humans is a process that can take years.

* according to the University of Copenhagen