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There has been talk of stem cell therapy to cure diabetes and a non-injectable form of insulin, and now, scientists have developed insulin that is effective for two days (a thrice-a-week dose), paving the way to spare diabetic patients their daily needle shots but could become redundant as new forms of insulin and treatment for diabetes become a reality soon.

The new invention is likely to trim cost of insulin shot substantially. For instance, with the introduction of the new insulin type, prices of the older versions of insulin would be slashed.

Degludec, which is slated to become the most promising form of insulin and can be effective for 48 hours, has been tested by doctors from India, Canada, US and South Africa. It was found to be as effective as Glargine, which lasts for 24 hours.

With this development, will we one day see an insulin shot that could be effective for a week or even a month or a technology that will enable a device to artificially generate insulin on its own and will they become commercially available early?

Meanwhile, when available commercially (it could take around 3-4 years), this new form of insulin will need to be taken thrice a week by patients with type 2 diabetes, in which the body does not produce adequate insulin to use up the glucose in the body.

After Degludec was compared with Glargine (the daily insulin shot) at the phase-II trial, scientists told medical journal Lancet, “During the 16-week random trial, participants between the age of 18 and 75 years with type 2 diabetes and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) of 7-11% were tested and treated at 28 clinical sites in Canada, India, South Africa and the US.

“We can conclude that mean HbA1C levels were the same across treatment groups and insulin Degludec allowed comparable glycaemic control to insulin Glargine and there were no additional adverse effects. This is likely to pare dose frequency owing to its ultra-long action profile.”

From India, Prof P V Rao of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Hyderabad) and Prof N Thomas of Christian Medical College, Vellore, were part of the study. Doctors in India have also cheered the development calling it a “significant breakthrough.”

Despite availability of a range of therapies, many people with diabetes are unable to reach recommended levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C), which shows diabetes control over a period of three months.

“Insulin Degludec is a long-acting insulin in clinical development. Its features suggest that the risk of hypoglycaemia could be cut and clinical effectiveness may be achievable with three-times-a-week dose in people with type 2 diabetes who were previously naive to insulin. This could help with early initiation of and adherence to insulin treatment,” the study added.

But with treatments such as insulin pumps gaining ground (which are likely to be affordably priced in the near future), insulin shots could become a thing of the past, even if it means a shot after every two days or even less frequent.