Most of the research related to diabetes treatment seeks to find ways to eliminate the tedious process of inject insulin into the patient through syringes. But the latest creation of scientists from the MIT could make things easier thanks to a capsule that the person undergoing treatment will only have to swallow to control the sugar levels in their body.
A pill with a needle inside
Created by MIT in collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, this pill of just over one centimeter is capable of delivering insulin doses orally, avoiding the need to use daily injections at patients with type 2 diabetes. Like many other pills, the protective capsule allows the contents to be carried to the stomach, where the protective capsule dissolves and reveals its contents. That's the time when a tiny, pea-sized mechanism called SOMA (Self-Orienting Millimiter-Scale Actuator) that hides a sharp needle made of iophilized insulin.
Once released, this small body rests on the stomach wall to make the puncture with which to release the dose. Thanks to the shape of the body (it has the center of gravity at its base), the needle will always be oriented to the wall of the organ to be able to stick without problems and dissolve automatically.
The first tests carried out on animals have served to confirm that thanks to the pill it was possible to control the blood sugar levels of the body that received the pill, and also confirmed that the device can be used to administer other types of protein drugs.
After years of inspiring collaboration with @MIT, we're very excited to share the news about this tortoise-inspired oral device! It has the potential to deliver #insulin and other treatments in a capsule and could therefore benefit people with chronic diseases in the future?
— Novo Nordisk (@novonordisk) February 7th 2019
The body of the mechanical capsule is made of biodegradable polymer and stainless steel parts, a piece that has been designed with the shell of the leopard tortoise as inspiration (a species that is capable of righting itself if it ends up being turned upside down), and thanks to Its forms are perfectly compatible with the gastrointestinal tract for its subsequent expulsion.
Advantages of using this pill compared to current methods
- The first obvious advantage this method offers is the elimination of punctures.
- On the other hand, many of the drugs on the market need refrigeration, which limits transport and the comfort of patients.
- Easy expulsion and no side effects.