Insulin Therapy: Future Perspectives

Abstract

Insufficient insulin secretion is a core pathogenetic mechanism of diabetes mellitus and therefore, insulin therapy remains the cornerstone of management. Over the past 100 years, much progress has been made in the development of insulin therapy, including elaboration of novel insulin formulations and delivery methods. Despite significant advances, there are still many barriers, challenges, and uncertainties involving insulin therapy. With newer pharmacological and technological approaches, there are many potential drawbacks to be addressed, such as immunogenicity, biocompatibility, degradation/clearance of delivery materials, stability, precision of dosing, reproducibility, predictability of performance, and safety over time, etc. In addition, the new formulations/delivery systems should be cost-effective and accessible. A literature search of original and review articles, editorials, and meta-analyses in Medline/PubMed and Google Scholar has been performed. ClinicalTrials.gov website was searched for ongoing relevant clinical trials. New insulin formulations (ultralong basal and ultrarapid analogues) were designed to obtain a prolonged, flatter profile, with less hypoglycemia and improvement of postprandial glucose control, respectively. The next generation of insulin therapy is probably best represented by the "smart" (glucose-responsive) insulins, which deliver it according to an endogenous glucose-sensing feedback mechanism. Another area of continuous advances includes insulin delivery systems with new jet injectors, smart pens, patch pumps, and other needle-free devices for subcutaneous administrations. Many alternative routes of insulin delivery (pulmonary, nasal, buccal, oral, and transdermal) have also been explored, with some reaching clinical use. The digitalization of diabetes care has made considerable progress in the past several years and will most probably make even more so in the near future. The improved insulin formulations, newer delivery methods/routes, and digital technologies are rapidly becoming effective and have great potential to improve metabolic control as well as other outcomes, including quality of life of persons living with diabetes mellitus.