Making Insulin Last Longer with Tiny Coated Drug Particles

This patent describes how to create tiny, layered particles that can hold insulin and release it slowly into the body, aiming for longer-lasting diabetes treatment.

What it covers

This patent details a method for creating nanoparticles designed to deliver insulin over an extended period. The core of these nanoparticles is an aqueous phase containing insulin, as described in claim 1. This core is surrounded by a lipid layer, which can be made from specific fats like palmitic acid or glyceryl stearate, and a phospholipid bilayer. Finally, a chitosan shell or coat encapsulates the entire structure. For example, a method outlined in claim 5 involves dissolving specific lipids and phospholipids in an organic solvent, then adding this mixture dropwise to an aqueous solution containing insulin. A chitosan solution is then added, causing the nanoparticles to form and trap the insulin inside, allowing for slow release after injection.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover insulin delivery systems that do not use a lipid/phospholipid core with an aqueous insulin phase and a chitosan shell.
• —Does not cover nanoparticles with a zeta potential outside the range of 10 mv to 30 mv, or a peak size distribution not at 128.5 nm.
• —Does not cover methods of synthesis that do not involve adding an organic solution of lipids dropwise to an aqueous insulin solution.
• —Does not cover long-acting insulin formulations that are not based on entrapping insulin within nanoparticles.
• —Does not cover nanoparticles where the lipid component is not selected from monostearyl glycerol, distearyl glycerol, palmitic acid, stearic acid, or glyceryl stearate.

The clever bit

The novelty lies in the specific layered structure of the nanoparticle, combining an aqueous insulin core with lipid, phospholipid, and chitosan layers, and the precise method of forming these particles via solvent diffusion to achieve controlled, slow release.

Why it matters

Managing diabetes often requires multiple daily insulin injections. This patent aims to reduce injection frequency by creating a system where insulin is released slowly over time. If successful, such a system could improve the quality of life for people with diabetes by making their treatment regimen less burdensome. It represents an effort to advance drug delivery technology for chronic conditions.

Real-world examples

• 1.Experimental long-acting insulin formulations
• 2.Nanoparticle-based drug delivery research
• 3.Advanced diabetes treatment concepts