Medication is able to regulate blood sugar without insulin.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: An Indian American researcher at Indiana University is at the helm of a new study that has developed a new non-insulin diabetes drug.
Arnab De, along with Richard DiMarchi, has a created a drug that could prove to be a breakthrough in Type II diabetes treatment. Patients who suffer from the condition have to take medication that keeps their blood sugar level in control; these drugs typically involve insulin, which in large amounts, can be potentially deadly.
On top of that, large amounts of insulin generally lead to weight gain, and gaining weight is ironically one of the leading causes of diabetes. Therefore, by keeping insulin as the primary means of treating the disease, patients stay in a vicious cycle from which, until now, there has really been no escape.
By creating a drug that isn’t reliant on insulin, but can still keep blood sugar levels low, De and DiMarchi may have found the holy grail of Type II diabetes medication. By using a modified version of the peptide hormone called GLP-1, the medication is able to lower and stabilize blood sugar levels without the need for insulin injections.
In its most natural state, GLP-1 has too short a half-life, and is too unstable to be effective in the fight against Type II diabetes. But De and DiMarchi were able to change it so that it’s decomposition occurred over the span of several days, making their new medication one that would only need to be ingested on a weekly basis.
De and DiMarchi have reportedly applied for the proper patents, and are waiting for that and other licensing paperwork to come through. However, the road ahead is still daunting, as there need to be trials and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) before the medication can be offered to everyday consumers. This entire process could take years.
Originally from India, De is an immunologist who holds an M.S. in Chemistry from Indiana University at Bloomington, and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Immunology) from Columbia University. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry as well, from India’s Presidency College, before coming to the US.
He has done extensive research at both Columbia and Indiana Universities, and is the holder of five patents in his name. He is also the author of two books, five book chapters, and 27 peer-reviewed publications, according to his LinkedIn page. Two of his patents have been licensed by Merck and Roche, and De also authored the cover article for an issue of the Journal of Biomedical Research.
DiMarchi is the chair of Indiana Univeristy’s Department of Chemistry, holding a B.S. from Florida Atlantic University and a Ph.D. from Indiana University. His research areas include biochemistry, bio-organic chemistry, chemical biology, and proteomics.