Scientists have successfully tested a "smart patch" to treat diabetes

Researchers from the University of California, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have conducted successful preclinical trials of a new "smart patch" for diabetics. The authors published an article about it in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

In type 1 diabetes, the patient's pancreas does not function properly and does not produce the hormone insulin, which is necessary for the breakdown of glucose. In type 2 diabetes, insulin is produced in the usual amount, but the body does not have enough of it due to a violation of the sensitivity of tissues to it. Lack of insulin is filled artificially: it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of glucose in the blood and, if it rises excessively, to make an injection. This is inconvenient in everyday life, and in case of forgetfulness or impossibility of timely injection a person risks getting serious health problems - up to lethal outcome. No less serious risks await the patient in case of insulin overdose.

The device tested by the authors of the article can significantly reduce the negative impact of the "human factor". The patch itself controls the sugar level: micro-needles from glucose-sensitive polymer are embedded in it. Once the coin-sized patch is glued to the skin, the micro-needles penetrate the skin and continuously "sense" blood sugar levels. If the level rises, insulin begins to flow from the micro-needles into the bloodstream. They are tiny, so they are less painful than an injection of this hormone. 

At the same time, the speed and amount of insulin released depends on glucose levels. According to the researchers, the advantage of such a system is that the device essentially mimics the regulatory function of the pancreas - much gentler than single injections. This will help prevent insulin overdose, which can lead to hypoglycemia and a host of side effects - up to and including fatal ones. 

So far, scientists have successfully tested the effectiveness of the patch on model animals, including pigs close to humans in terms of internal organ response. This means that the time has come for the most important part of the testing. If the technique receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the next step is to test it directly on humans.

Such a technique could be almost revolutionary in the field of diabetes treatment, so the authors of the work hope that everything will continue to go well. There are more than 400 million diabetics in the world, and for many of them such a device could literally be a lifesaver. In addition, the technology could be adapted to deliver other drugs in the future.