Smart Insulin
Published on 17 Feb 2025
• Scientists have developed a “smart” insulin called NNC2215 that responds to blood sugar fluctuations in real time.
• NNC2215 has a ring structure and a glucoselike molecule, glucoside, that binds to the ring to keep insulin inactive when blood sugar is low.
• As blood glucose rises, glucose displaces glucoside, activating the insulin to lower blood sugar.
• There are two kinds of diabetes. Both are related to the body’s ability to synthesise and react to insulin, the hormone that breaks down sugar in the blood to produce energy.
Type 1 diabetes, which often starts in childhood, occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin (or enough insulin). Type 2 diabetes sees the cells of the body develop resistance to insulin, meaning greater amounts are required than what is produced by the pancreas. |
• This breakthrough could revolutionise diabetes treatment, especially as Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes both require synthetic insulin to manage varying blood glucose levels.
