Smart particles release insulin into diabetics' bloodstream

Researchers in the US have developed a type of nanoparticle that automatically releases insulin into the blood when glucose levels get too high, and have demonstrated that its effects last for 10 days in mice.

 Regular injections of the particles could mean type 1 diabetics wouldn’t have to check their blood sugar levels several times a day, or inject the exact right amount of insulin when needed, which can result in too high or low doses being administered, with further health problems following.

 ‘We’ve created a ‘smart’ system that is injected into the body and responds to changes in blood sugar by releasing insulin, effectively controlling blood-sugar levels,’ said Dr Zhen Gu, an assistant professor in the joint biomedical engineering program at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina.

 ‘This technology effectively creates a ‘closed-loop’ system that mimics the activity of the pancreas in a healthy person, releasing insulin in response to glucose level changes. This has the potential to improve the health and quality of life of diabetes patients.’