A new diabetes drug known as JB 253 can be switched on and off through the use of a blue light. The drug is designed to help treat type 2 diabetes, allowing greater control over delivery of insulin.
Insulin levels can be driven too high by traditional drugs, resulting in dangerous drops in blood glucose levels. Side effects from the medicines can also damage hearts and brains.
Researchers at Imperial College London and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich modified an existing drug, sulfonylurea, so that molecules changed shape when blue light shines on the structure.
Once in the bloodstream, JB 253 would be inactive until it encounters blue light. Small LED's pressed into skin would allow enough light through the epidermis to activate the drug. Once the light is shut off, the molecules return to their previous inactive state, allowing users to switch the drug on and off with the flick of a switch.
"In principle, this type of therapy may allow better control over blood sugar levels because it can be switched on for a short time when required after a meal. It should also reduce complications by targeting drug activity to where it's needed in the pancreas. So far, we've created a molecule that has the desired effect on human pancreatic cells in the lab. There's a long way to go before a therapy is available to patients, but this remains our ultimate goal," David Hodson of the Imperial College in London said.
Type 2 diabetes presents challenges to management of blood sugar, and can lead to heart disease, stroke as well as harming eyes, nerves and kidneys. The disease affects around 350 million people around the globe.
Blood sugar levels can often be too high in diabetics, as their bodies cannot properly process the chemicals. If left untreated, the disease can lead to devastating consequences, and is a leading cause of strokes, kidney failure and limb amputations.
Between 85 and 90 percent of diabetics are diagnosed with a Type 2 disorder, signifying their bodies are unable to produce or utilize insulin. The condition is more common among people who are overweight and obese, and is usually treated with a healthy diet and exercise. Drugs can be prescribed for patients with more extreme cases of the disease.
Chemicals that react to light by changing shape have been known for over a century, but it was not until recently that these properties have been exploited for medical purposes.
Development of JB 253 was detailed in the journal Nature Communications.
