IIT Bhilai-Led Research Team Develops Controlled Insulin-Delivery System
In a significant development, a multi-institutional team led by researchers from IIT Bhilai, including scientists from Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi, NCR, and Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Institute of Pharmacy, Chhattisgarh, have successfully engineered a novel Insulin-delivery platform.
This hydrogel-based drug delivery system, according to a statement from the IIT Bhilai, has the ability to release Insulin in a controlled manner in response to elevated blood glucose levels- mimicking the natural insulin secretion process of healthy pancreatic cells.
Dr Suchetan Pal, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bhilai, led the study and it promises a safe and efficient method of supplying Insulin to insulin-dependent diabetic patients.
Dr Pal said the current insulin injection methods have some limitations as they do not work quite like the body”s natural system and can be fatal. “The current Insulin injection methods can also make blood sugar levels drop dangerously low, and patients might have to rely on them forever,” he added.
Seeking improved methods of insulin delivery, the researchers at IIT Bhilai explored the innovative application of hydrogels. Hydrogels are biocompatible polymers that are characterized by high water content and are being studied for controlled drug release in various medical fields including cardiology, oncology, immunology, wound healing, and pain management. The researchers encapsulated insulin in specially designed hydrogels that can be administered instead of direct insulin injections.
Drawing inspiration from the body”s natural insulin secretion process triggered by glucose, the team designed the hydrogels such that they would release insulin when glucose levels are elevated. This was achieved by crosslinking polyvinyl alcohol with tiny particles of chitosan, an ingredient derived from shellfish and crabs” outer skeletons. The crosslinker, formylphenylboronic acid (FPBA), responds to glucose levels and releases the insulin that is encapsulated inside the hydrogel.
