Overview
- Researchers at Zhejiang University engineered a polymer, OP, that binds skin lipids at acidic pH then becomes neutral in deeper layers to ferry attached insulin through the skin.
- In lab-grown human skin, diabetic mice and minipigs, the OP–insulin conjugate penetrated the barrier, reached the bloodstream, and accumulated in liver, fat, and muscle.
- Topical application restored blood glucose to normal within 1–2 hours and maintained control for roughly 12 hours, exceeding the duration seen with injected insulin in these tests.
- Animal studies reported no acute inflammation or organ toxicity, with investigators cautioning that long-term safety and precise dose control must be established in people.
- The peer-reviewed study, published November 19 in Nature, also points to a potential platform for other large drugs, including the active ingredient in Ozempic.