Diabetes research is progressing… and on many fronts.
Researchers are constantly working to improve the quality of life of diabetic patients.
Many therapies have emerged in recent years and new revolutionary therapeutic developments could appear within 10 years.
Metformin remains the pivotal drug in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but the availability of new drug classes and modern insulins has improved patient care.
New pathways are also moving towards the possibility of creating insulin-producing cells by genetic modification of stem cells, which could enable cell transplants to be used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes.
A new path of research focuses on the intestinal microbiota. Some gut bacteria would show « anti-diabetic » properties, which could help regulate the patient’s blood sugar control.
Progress in the development of an artificial pancreas, which will be available very soon, allow automated management of type 1 diabetes. An insulin pump, linked to a blood sugar sensor through an algorithm contained in a smartphone, adjusts the inulin delivery according to blood sugar level.
Today, more than ever, researchers are focusing on all of these new pathways in order to better understand diabetes, its causes, its mechanisms and its complications. These advances will make it possible to find effective solutions and lead to innovative treatments to improve, day after day, the quality of life of diabetic patients.
Diabetes research is progressing…