Metal ‘pancreas’ may help diabetics

A researcher has developed an artificial pancreas that she says could revolutionise the treatment of diabetes.
The device, developed by Professor Joan Taylor from De Montfort University, Leicester, could even put an end to daily injections diabetics have to endure to regulate their glucose levels.

Glucose levels are normally controlled by the hormone insulin, released by the pancreas when required but people who have diabetes either do not produce insulin, do not produce enough insulin or the insulin they do produce does not work properly.

The new artificial pancreas, invented and patented by Prof Taylor, is made of a metal casing containing a supply of insulin kept in place by a gel barrier.

When the body’s glucose levels rise, the gel barrier starts to liquefy and lets insulin out.

The insulin feeds into the veins around the gut then into the liver, mimicking the normal process for a person with a healthy pancreas, the university said today.

As the insulin lowers the glucose level in the body, the gel reacts by hardening again and stopping the supply.

Prof Taylor said this means the right amount of insulin is released automatically when the body needs it, putting an end to daily injections and guesswork often involved for diabetics when trying to control blood glucose levels.

The artificial pancreas, which is currently undergoing pre-clinical trials, would be implanted between the lowest rib and the hip and topped up with insulin every few weeks.

Prof Taylor, professor of Pharmaceutics at De Montfort University (DMU), said she hopes to move on to clinical trials within the next few years and if trials prove successful the device could be available in five to 10 years.

The Press Association