Researchers test new diabetes
pill
Ian Clift
Senior Writer
Diabetics may see an improvement in their quality
of life thanks to a drug delivery system developed by Purdue researchers
that could put insulin in a pill form.
"Proteins degrade by our saliva and stomach acids,"
said Nikolaos Peppas, professor of Chemical Engineering.
Because of this, proteins traditionally couldn't
be delivered to the body orally. Rather, they had to be administered
via injection, as diabetics usually do with insulin.
"There has not been any oral drug delivery systems
for proteins. This is the first of its kind. Here is a system that can
be taken orally and can actually work without degrading the system,"
said Peppas.
Aaron Foss, a doctoral student who works with Peppas,
will present the team's findings during the American Chemical Society's
annual meeting this week in Chicago.
"There are two types of diabetes," Foss said, "One
of them can be controlled by diet and exercise, this first type is not
as severe because it produces some insulin."
In the other type of diabetes, sometimes called
juvenile diabetes, no insulin is produced. Foss said, "Somehow insulin
needs to be introduced into the body and that is what this kind of therapy
is for."
The polymer-based material developed to protect
the insulin has been shown not to have cytotoxic effects in the body.
"It has to go through further animal studies and further clinical trials,"
said Foss. "If everything works out, within a decade or so this (drug
delivery device) would be ready for the market."
Foss said the polymer is placed in a solution with
insulin dissolved in it and he said the polymer micro-spheres that contain
the insulin are pH dependent.
Therefore, when polymers are introduced to highly
acidic conditions, like those found in the stomach and esophagus, the
micro-spheres are collapsed and protect the insulin inside them. Under
less acidic conditions, like the conditions found in the upper small
intestine, the micro-spheres expand and release their contents.
Within the upper small intestine the polymer devices,
which contain many components, attach to the mucus membrane and release
the insulin into the capillaries.
Peppas said, "If we are successful there will be
a radical change in the treatment of diabetes because (patients) will
not need to take injections or not have to take them as often."
The National Institute of Health funds this research
and Peppas said he is talking to companies now about commercialization
of the polymer compound that could one day be used in a pill or capsule
form.
This delivery system has widespread potential uses,
said Peppas. "This is a very general technology that cannot only be
used for diabetes but for other diseases where proteins are used," he
said.
Other applications being developed are for work
in cancer therapy and treatment of osteoporosis.
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