Israeli scientists: Cure for insulin-dependent diabetics within five years was published by Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman for The Jerusalem Post, 3 October 2019.

Jerusalem-based Betalin Therapeutics has developed the first bio-artificial pancreas, composed of pig’s lung tissue and insulin secreting cells and claim that they have a cure for diabetes that could hit the market as early as within the next few years. The artificial pancreas would be implanted into the patient and connect with his or her blood vessels, and then be able to measure the body’s sugar level and secrete an optimal amount of insulin needed to balance blood sugar. 

“This is a new way to treat diabetes,” said CEO Dr. Nikolai Kunicher. “Today, you only have ways to manage the disease. This is a cure. The diabetic pancreas has lost the function of secreting insulin and we give it back. The patient should never have to inject insulin into his body again.”

The bio-artificial pancreas would be implanted under the skin during an outpatient procedure using local anesthesia. So far, according to Kunicher, the team has completed animal trials. Human clinical trials are slated to launch within the next 12 months. Animal trials don’t always translate to humans because of species differences, among other reasons.

Among those who suffer from diabetes is Betalin advisory board member and 1989 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry Sidney Altman, considered one of the world’s foremost molecular biologists.  “This is a new approach,” Altman said, noting he believes it will have global impact.  Prof. Aryeh Warshel, also a Nobel Prize winner (2013 in Chemistry), sits on the scientific advisory board as well.

Read more: Cure for insulin-dependent diabetics within five years

ViaCyte to Present Preliminary PEC-Direct Clinical Data as reported in their news release on 3 October 2019. 

“ViaCyte is the first and only company in human clinical trials with a stem cell-derived islet replacement therapy candidate, and we are now the first to demonstrate production of C-peptide in patients receiving implanted stem cell-derived islets. These data show that our PEC-01 cells are functioning as intended when appropriately engrafted,” said Paul Laikind, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and President of ViaCyte. “While there is still more work to be done, this is an important milestone.

Read more: ViaCyte to Present Preliminary Clinical Data

Ultra-Rapid Lispro is Lilly’s new formulation of Lispro to counter Novo’s Fiasp. What we have is a new, injectable insulin that will arrive around three years after Fiasp, using different excipients that in theory speed it up, significantly.  But by how much? Well the clinical trials have proven very interesting.

• • Early absorption is significantly faster than Fiasp
  • It really does have a tail that is all but done after five hours, instead of the 6-8 that all the others have
  • Really noticeable how much less insulin there is in the tail after two hours. Okay, it’s not approaching the levels of Afrezza, but this is notably less than there has been in previous formulations of subcutaneous insulin.

The data from these trials shows something that is potential much more useful for use in a closed loop system. Okay, it’s not clearing at the rate of endogenous insulin, but it is quicker. With this insulin, it’s possible that there may be a new bar for enabling true closed loop systems that require no meal announcement

Read more: Ultra-Rapid Lispro: What is it and why is it interesting?

12 Hours Without Insulin Because of a Flaw in My Pump was reported by Sara Seitz for InsulinNation.com on 4 October 2019.  An interesting and worthwhile read.  And the takeaway:  don’t change your infusion site before going to sleep and maintain a healthy skepticism and presence of mind in dealing with your devices.

Having a pump and CGM to rely on makes managing your diabetes on autopilot that much easier. Because technology is free of the forgetful flaws of human nature, it would seem a safer bet to leave diabetes in the hands of your devices. Until those devices fail to do even the very basics to keep you safe.

Read more: 12 Hours Without Insulin Because of a Flaw

Do you fidget?  Might just indicate that brain activity! Mice fidget. Those motions have big effects on their brains was written by A. Churchland for ScienceNews.org, 27 September 2019. 

Survey any office, and you’ll see pens tapping, heels bouncing and hair being twiddled. But jittery humans aren’t alone. Mice also fidget while they work.

What’s more, this seemingly useless motion has a profound and widespread effect on mice’s brain activity, neuroscientist Anne Churchland of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and colleagues report September 24 in Nature Neuroscience. Scientists don’t yet know what this brain activity means, but one possibility is that body motion may actually shape thinking.

Read more: Mice fidget. Those motions have big effects on their brains

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