Breakthrough 'Smart Insulin' Offers Hope for Safer Type 1 Diabetes Management

Researchers at the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine have made a significant stride in Type 1 diabetes treatment by developing a "smart" protein that could dramatically reduce dangerous episodes of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia.

The new substance, a lab-designed molecule that combines the functions of two key hormones—insulin and glucagon—showed promising results in rat studies. The findings suggest a new way to regulate blood sugar levels, potentially simplifying life for millions of people with Type 1 diabetes.

A Single Molecule That Knows When to Lower and Raise Sugar

Type 1 diabetes patients face a constant tightrope walk: they must inject insulin to lower high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), but using too much can cause a potentially life-threatening drop (hypoglycemia).

The IU team's innovative protein is designed to mimic the body's natural, sophisticated response system. It signals the liver to react depending on the body's current need:

• If blood sugar is too high, the insulin-like component dominates, lowering glucose.

• If blood sugar is too low, the glucagon-like component takes over, helping to raise glucose.

As lead researcher Michael A. Weiss, MD, PhD, explained, this approach takes advantage of the body's existing biological "smart switch" in the liver. "For the past century, coping with hypoglycemia (the lows) has been an ever-present challenge in Type 1 diabetes," Dr. Weiss said. "Our approach simplifies such design by exploiting an endogenous 'smart' switch in the liver."

Easier Storage and Future Plans

Currently, many patients must inject insulin and glucagon separately, a process complicated by factors like diet, stress, and physical activity. This new hybrid medication aims to offer a unified solution.

In addition to its glucose-regulating action, the new form of insulin showed another practical benefit: it remained stable for weeks without refrigeration before being opened. This is a considerable advantage over standard insulin, which typically requires cooling, and could make the new drug easier to produce and store.

While the research is still in early stages, the scientists are optimistic. They hope to eventually develop two versions of the drug: a once-per-week injection and a short-acting variety for use in insulin pumps, offering patients more flexibility in their treatment.

The research was published in ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science.

Source: IU School of Medicine | October 9, 2025