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Scientists uncover 'holy grail' insulin which adapts to diabetics' changing blood sugar levels in real time so they may only have to inject once a week
Treatment for millions with type one diabetes worldwide is set to be revolutionised by a game-changing insulin that responds to changing blood levels.
The solution involves smart insulin that would come into action whenever needed within the body, and would be as close to a cure as existing drug therapy.
Scientists have developed novel insulin which mimics bodily changes in blood sugar levels, reducing the number of times suffers need to treat themselves to as little as once a week.
Type one diabetics currently must inject themselves with synthetic insulin up to ten times daily.
While these existing insulins help to stabilise blood sugar levels when injected into the body, they are unable to respond to subsequent changes.
Scientists have discovered a new smart insulin that could revolutionise treatment of type one diabetes. A file photo of an insulin injection pen
In the future, patients may only need to take the newly developed insulin once a week, experts believe.
Millions of pounds of funding has been awarded to fast-track the development of the new glucose responsive insulin (GRI), the Guardian reported.
Teams at Stanford University in the US, Monash University in Australia and Zhejiang University in China are among those that have received £3million for six research projects to develop smart insulins.
Four of the projects are aimed at developing new GRIs, while another has been launched to find a ultra-fast acting variant.
Dr Tim Heise, the vice-chair of the novel insulins scientific advisory panel for the Type 1 Diabetes Grand Challenge said the new GRIs would be the 'holy grail' of insulin.
Millions of pounds of funding has been awarded to fast-track the development of the new glucose responsive insulin (GRI) (file photo)
He said the innovation would greatly help patients who currently have to manage their condition daily, balancing their glycaemic control while avoiding avoiding hypoglycaemia.
Insulin was co-discovered over 100 years ago in 1921 by Canadian surgeon Dr Frederick Banting and his assistant Charles Best.
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, the director of research at Diabetes UK said the new solution would 'significantly reduce the daily challenges' as well as the physical and mental health of those managing the disease.