Needle-Free Insulin Gel Could Transform Diabetes Care
News Desk
In a breakthrough for diabetes care, researchers have developed a novel polymer-based gel that delivers insulin through the skin, potentially eliminating the need for daily injections.
According to a November study published in Nature, the gel successfully normalized blood sugar levels in diabetic mice and pigs within one to two hours of application, with effects lasting around 12 hours, comparable to conventional “basal” insulin shots that stabilize blood sugar between meals and overnight.
“This approach is mechanistically elegant,” said Suchetan Pal, associate professor and head of the Biomaterials Laboratory at the Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, who was not involved in the study.
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Currently, the gel remains experimental. So far, it has only been tested on animals. Pal cautioned that human skin, which varies in thickness, fat content, and pH, may respond differently.
The skin’s outer layer, the stratum corneum, is a tough barrier to large molecules like insulin, though small molecules can sometimes pass through.
The research team addressed this challenge by designing a pH-responsive polymer, dubbed OP, that enables insulin to penetrate the skin effectively.
If future studies confirm its safety and efficacy in humans, this technology could transform diabetes management by reducing or eliminating the need for painful daily injections.
