For several years other ways of administering insulin have been investigating, since undergoing injections, sometimes multiple, is uncomfortable for patients.
To this end, investigations are progressed, since it is a protein, another way of administering insulin produces the effect of "denaturation", with the consequent loss of the effect.
To understand this process they imagine insulin as a three -dimensional key whose shape coincides with a lock, which would be the place or the receiver in the cell.When joining, open the door so that the sugar circulating in the blood can enter the cell to be processed.Heat, gastric juice and stomach acid would destroy the shape of insulin if one would like to give it in tablets.If the key shape changes, it could obviously be recognized by the lock, causing the consequent loss of function.
Then, an injectable route option is the inhalable route, which has been available in the United States for a few months: Afford.The Sanofi company acquired its exclusive license to be able to develop and market it.
AFREZZA is a fast action insulin for adults with type 1 and 2 diabetes, it is administered before a meal and allows to improve glycemic control.Sanofi would be responsible for global marketing together with development and approval activities.The company's plan is initially launching it in the United States in the first quarter of 2015.
With respect to needles, the research advances in the way the patient can measure glucose without undergoing multiple punctures to obtain samples of blood drops several times to days.
Along these lines, Alcon - novotis eye care care - collaborates with Google in the development of sensors, microchip and other miniaturized electronic devices and inserted in a new intelligent contact lens technology.These could provide continuously and without invasive methods for measurement of the glycemia value in the liquid that lubricates the eye.
This smart lens can wirelessly transmit values to a mobile equipment without resorting to invasive methods. New technologies collaborate in comfort and patient care and are getting closer and at our disposal.
* Doctor of UCC Teaching Medicine