“Smart Sponge” Delivers Insulin

When healthy. beta-cells produce insulin and control its release as the body needs it.  Dr. Zhen Gu, from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (North Carolina, USA), and colleagues have developed a drug delivery technique for diabetes treatment in which a sponge-like material surrounds an insulin core. The sponge expands and contracts in response to blood sugar levels to release insulin as needed. Commenting that: “we demonstrated that these microgels with enzyme nanocapsules facilitate insulin release and result in a reduction of blood glucose levels,” the researchers are also hopeful that the smart sponge holds promise for smart drug delivery targeting cancer or other diseases.