piet11111
22nd April 2008, 23:11
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13751-stomachproof-gel-hints-at-jabfree-diabetes-treatment.html
A gel that can smuggle insulin past the stomach and slowly release the drug into the blood could do away with diabetics' daily injections.
Pills made from the new material could also deliver other protein-based drugs, such as human growth hormone, that must be protected from being digested in the stomach.
"A big difficulty with type I diabetes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_I_diabetes) is insulin must be [injected] two to three times a day," says Nicholas Peppas (http://www.engr.utexas.edu/che/directories/faculty/peppas.cfm) of the University of Texas at Austin, US.
Researchers and drug companies have for years searched for an easier way to deliver insulin to avoid the pain and bruising that regular injections can cause. Cheek patches and insulin inhalers have both been investigated, but both have so far failed to make it onto the market.
if this works it would be great news for people that have to use insulin injections.
and as a diabetic myself (i dont need injections fortunately) i was fearing the possibility that if i get old and the diabetes got worse i would be forced to use injections (vaccinations in school with a trainee doctor you know how that goes) but now i need not fear my nightmare scenario
A gel that can smuggle insulin past the stomach and slowly release the drug into the blood could do away with diabetics' daily injections.
Pills made from the new material could also deliver other protein-based drugs, such as human growth hormone, that must be protected from being digested in the stomach.
"A big difficulty with type I diabetes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_I_diabetes) is insulin must be [injected] two to three times a day," says Nicholas Peppas (http://www.engr.utexas.edu/che/directories/faculty/peppas.cfm) of the University of Texas at Austin, US.
Researchers and drug companies have for years searched for an easier way to deliver insulin to avoid the pain and bruising that regular injections can cause. Cheek patches and insulin inhalers have both been investigated, but both have so far failed to make it onto the market.
if this works it would be great news for people that have to use insulin injections.
and as a diabetic myself (i dont need injections fortunately) i was fearing the possibility that if i get old and the diabetes got worse i would be forced to use injections (vaccinations in school with a trainee doctor you know how that goes) but now i need not fear my nightmare scenario