From extremetech.com
The experimental therapy takes just a few weeks and removed insulin from the equation for 86% of trial participants
A new form of treatment for Type 2 diabetes could eliminate the need for insulin injections. In a recent trial, 86% of participants—who spanned a wide range of ages and body mass index (BMI) placements—were able to forgo insulin after just a few weeks of the novel therapy.
Presented last week at United European Gastroenterology's annual conference, the treatment combines an existing injectable drug with a new procedure called re-cellularization via electroporation therapy, or ReCET. The injectable, called semaglutide, is used exclusively with Type 2 diabetes patients to mimic the effects of the GLP-1 hormone, which naturally regulates the body's blood sugar levels. ReCET meanwhile occurs via endoscopy—a procedure that involves snaking a thin tube down a sedated patient's oesophagus—and delivers small electrical pulses to the stomach's mucosal lining. These pulses reportedly improve the body's sensitivity to endogenous, or naturally-occurring, insulin.
Celine Busch, a PhD candidate and research associate at Amsterdam University Medical Centre, led a trial last year that utilized both of these treatments. The trial involved 14 patients aged 28 to 75. First, each participant underwent ReCET; after, they were required to stick to a strict liquid diet for two weeks. Participants then received 1 milligram of semaglutide per week as they readjusted to their typical diets.
According to a paper for the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 12 of the 14 participants were able to stay insulin-free past the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. All 12 of these participants were shown to maintain glycaemic control, meaning their bodies were capable of keeping blood glucose levels within a healthy range. Only one of the 14 participants reacted negatively to the semaglutide and was unable to receive the required dosage; nobody else experienced negative side effects.
Though semaglutide is an injectable drug, its use within the context of this particular therapy requires far less "patient compliance" than insulin. Insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes patients—that is, patients who are unable to control the condition via diet or oral medication—typically inject insulin a few times per week, and missing a dose can be life-threatening. Semaglutide could reduce the amount of work required on the patient's part to keep their blood glucose at a healthy level.
Busch and her colleagues are currently testing the treatment with a new group of participants. In this controlled trial, called EMINENT-2, the team will incorporate a sham procedure that tests the efficacy of semaglutide with a placebo.
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