Is plant-based, oral insulin within reach for diabetes treatment? by Paul Ian Cross for MedicalNewsToday.com, 21 June 2023.  

New research, published in the journal Biomaterials, suggests that a plant-based oral delivery method of proinsulin could address the current limitations, such as 1. Administration of insulin through insulin pens can lead to the rapid absorption of insulin into the bloodstream, potentially causing hypoglycemia, 2. Although automated insulin pumps offer a solution by providing accurate insulin delivery and reducing this risk, they are costly and accessible to only a fraction of diabetes patients worldwide.

Despite the long-term use of clinical insulin, it lacks one of the three peptides found in natural insulin. To address this issue, the researchers developed a plant-based insulin that includes all three peptides and can be taken orally.  The robustness of plant cell walls shields insulin from stomach acids and enzymes until it is broken down by gut microbes. Subsequently, the released insulin is transported to the liver through the gut-liver axis.

To create plant-based insulin, the researchers first identified the human insulin genes and utilized a method known as a “gene gun” to forcefully introduce the genes through the resilient cell walls of plants.  These insulin genes were then incorporated into the genome of the chosen plant, in this case, lettuce. The resulting seeds permanently inherited the insulin genes, and the mature lettuce plants were freeze-dried, ground, and prepared for oral administration in accordance with the regulatory guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This production process is considerably different from the traditional method of insulin production, which involves cultivating the hormone within bacteria or yeast cells.

The conventional approach is costly and necessitates purification as well as a low temperature for transportation and storage. Conversely, the plant-based insulin production method eliminates the need for expensive laboratory equipment.  In addition, the resulting product remains stable at room temperature, eliminating the need for costly cold storage throughout the post-production process. With the new production method, such post-production costs are eliminated, as the plant-based insulin is shelf-stable.

Read more: Is plant-based, oral insulin within reach for diabetes treatment?


Why Everyone Wants a GLP1 by Marissa Town for ChildrenWithDiabetes.com, 20 June 2023.

GLP stands for Glucagon-Like Peptide – meaning it’s a building block of protein similar to glucagon. Agonist is a medical word for helping something work as it should. So, basically, it’s a medication that helps a building block of proteins that is like glucagon work as it should in the body. Fun fact – this hormone was discovered in the venom of a Gila Monster, which is a lizard that lives in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico.

In a person’s body without diabetes, glucagon and insulin work harmoniously to keep blood glucose levels in a normal range and help keep the body working as it was intended. But when you have diabetes, this relationship is disrupted along with other hormonal relationships.

There is another hormone that has been studied recently that works in tandem with GLP1 called GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). The two hormones – GLP1 and GIP – work together to increase the body’s insulin when you eat as well as help regulate feelings of fullness. 

Read more: Why Everyone Wants a GLP1

 


Top pharma lobby sues U.S. govt. over Medicare drug pricing negotiations by Dulan Lokuwithana for SeekingAlpha.com, 21 June 2023.

The leading drug industry trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government on Wednesday, challenging the drug pricing negotiations introduced by the recently-enacted Inflation Reduction Act.  The National Infusion Center Association and

The policies to impose government-set prices “are expected to have a negative impact on access to medicines covered by Medicare Part B and Part D, in addition to discouraging continued drug development,” PhRMA said in a statement.

Read more: Top pharma lobby sues U.S. govt. over Medicare drug pricing negotiations


Machine-learning method used for self-driving cars could improve lives of type-1 diabetes patients by Laura Thomas for EurekAlert.org, 14 June 2023.

The same type of machine learning methods used to pilot self-driving cars and beat top chess players could help type-1 diabetes sufferers keep their blood glucose levels in a safe range.

Scientists at the University of Bristol have shown that reinforcement learning, a type of machine learning in which a computer program learns to make decisions by trying different actions, significantly outperforms commercial blood glucose controllers in terms of safety and effectiveness. By using offline reinforcement learning, where the algorithm learns from patient records, the researchers improve on prior work, showing that good blood glucose control can be achieved by learning from the decisions of the patient rather than by trial and error.

Lead author Harry Emerson from Bristol’s Department of Engineering Mathematics, explained:  â€śMy research explores whether reinforcement learning could be used to develop safer and more effective insulin dosing strategies.

“These machine learning-driven algorithms have demonstrated superhuman performance in playing chess and piloting self-driving cars, and therefore could feasibly learn to perform highly personalized insulin dosing from pre-collected blood glucose data.

Read more:  Machine-learning method could improve lives of type-1 diabetes patients


Why Exercise Is Often a Challenge for Folks With Type 1 Diabetes by Cara Murez for The Daily Sentinel (GJSentinel.com, 16 June 2023.

It can be challenging for people with type 1 diabetes to exercise safely while controlling their blood sugar.

People with the condition often struggle with this balance, according to a new study based on a survey conducted through social media groups restricted to adults with type 1 diabetes who run, jog or walk for exercise. The survey findings were presented Thursday at a meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Chicago.

“Managing high and low blood sugar levels before, during, and after aerobic exercise remains one of the greatest challenges for people living with type 1 diabetes,” said lead researcher Dr. Joseph Henske, an endocrinologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

“This study provides a number of key insights into the degree to which published guidelines and recommendations surrounding exercise with type 1 diabetes are understood and implemented in the real world,” he said in a meeting news release.

“This survey demonstrated that many people who live with type 1 diabetes, despite being tech-savvy and engaged, passionate about exercise, and seemingly well-controlled based on hemoglobin A1C, are still struggling to exercise safely without high and low blood sugar,” Henske said. “We hope to increase awareness of published guidelines regarding exercising with diabetes and help create better practical educational tools.”

Read more: Why Exercise Is Often a Challenge for Folks With Type 1 Diabetes


Update on Inhaled and Rapid Acting Insulins PLUS Q&A: New Clinical Trial Data, What Patients Can Benefit, and How to Maximize Success with Dr. Steve Edelman and Jeremy Pettus for TCOYD.webedcafe.com, 2023.
If you want to attend an amazing conference hosted by TCOYD – Hold the Date for ONE 2023, August 18-20, 2023, Paradise Point Resort & Spa, San Diego, CA.

ONE 2023: IN-PERSON! August 18-20th

For more information:  ONE 2023 – The Ultimate Conference & Retreat for Adults with Type 1 & Their Loved Ones

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