BioChaperone Lispro versus faster aspart and insulin aspart in patients with type 1 diabetes using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion: A randomized euglycemic clamp study

Multicenter Evaluation of Ultra-Rapid Lispro Insulin with Control-IQ Technology in Adults, Adolescents, and Children with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the safety and explore the efficacy of use of ultra-rapid lispro (URLi, Lyumjev) insulin in the Tandem t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ 1.5 technology in children, teenagers, and adults living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: At 14 U.S. diabetes centers, youth and adults with T1D completed a 16-day lead-in period using lispro in a t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ 1.5 technology, followed by a 13-week period in which URLi insulin was used in the pump. Results: The trial included 179 individuals with T1D (age 6-75 years). With URLi, 1.7% (3 participants) had a severe hypoglycemia event over 13 weeks attributed to override boluses or a missed meal. No diabetic ketoacidosis events occurred. Two participants stopped URLi use because of infusion-site discomfort, and one stopped after developing a rash. Mean time 70-180 mg/dL increased from 65% ± 15% with lispro to 67% ± 13% with URLi (P = 0.004). Mean insulin treatment satisfaction questionnaire score improved from 75 ± 13 at screening to 80 ± 11 after 13 weeks of URLi use (mean difference = 6; 95% confidence interval 4-8; P < 0.001), with the greatest improvement reported for confidence avoiding symptoms of high blood sugar. Mean treatment-related impact measure-diabetes score improved from 74 ± 12 to 80 ± 12 (P < 0.001), and mean TRIM-Diabetes Device (score improved from 82 ± 11 to 86 ± 12 (P < 0.001). Conclusions: URLi use in the Tandem t:slim X2 insulin pump with Control-IQ 1.5 technology was safe for adult and pediatric participants with T1D, with quality-of-life benefits of URLi use perceived by the study participants. Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT05403502.

Assessing daily energy intake in adult women: validity of a food-recognition mobile application compared to doubly labelled water

Accurate dietary assessment is crucial for nutrition and health research. Traditional methods, such as food records, food frequency questionnaires, and 24-hour dietary recalls (24HR), have limitations, such as the need for trained interviewers, time-consuming procedures, and inaccuracies in estimations. Novel technologies, such as image-based dietary assessment apps, have been developed to overcome these limitations. SNAQ is a novel image-based food-recognition app which, based on computer vision, assesses food type and volume, and provides nutritional information about dietary intake. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate the validity of SNAQ as a dietary assessment tool for measuring energy and macronutrient intake in adult women with normal body weight (n = 30), compared to doubly labeled water (DLW), a reference method for total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Energy intake was also estimated using a one-day 24HR for direct comparison. Bland-Altman plots, paired difference tests, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to assess agreement and relationships between the methods. SNAQ showed a slightly higher agreement (bias = -329.6 kcal/day) with DLW for total daily energy intake (TDEI) compared to 24HR (bias = -543.0 kcal/day). While both SNAQ and 24HR tended to underestimate TDEI, only 24HR significantly differed from DLW in this regard (p < 0.001). There was no significant relationship between estimated TDEI and TDEE using SNAQ (R2 = 27%, p = 0.50) or 24HR (R2 = 34%, p = 0.20) and there were no significant differences in energy and macronutrient intake estimates between SNAQ and 24HR (Δ = 213.4 kcal/day). In conclusion, these results indicate that SNAQ provides a closer representation of energy intake in adult women with normal body weight than 24HR when compared to DLW, but no relationship was found between the energy estimates of DLW and of the two dietary assessment tools. Further research is needed to determine the clinical relevance and support the implementation of SNAQ in research and clinical settings. Clinical trial registration: This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the unique identifier NCT04600596 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04600596).

The Effect of BMI on Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Parameters of Insulin Degludec: Results from an Euglycemic Glucose Clamp Study

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the effect of body mass index (BMI) on pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters of insulin degludec in healthy Chinese males, depending on an euglycemic glucose clamp study.

METHODS

Sixty-five healthy male subjects were divided into four groups according to quartile of BMI value. Group A: BMI ≤ 20.7 kg/m²; group B: 20.7 < BMI ≤ 22.5 kg/m²; group C: 22.5 < BMI ≤ 23.6 kg/m²; group D: BMI > 23.6 kg/m². Each volunteer received a single subcutaneous dose (0.4 U/kg) of insulin degludec and accepted a 24-h euglycemic glucose clamp study. The primary PK parameters were maximum observed drug concentration (C_max) and the area under the curve (AUC_INS) for the specified time intervals. The primary PD parameters were the time to the start of glucose infusion (T_onset), maximal glucose infusion rate (GIR_max) and area under the curve (AUC_GIR) for the specified time intervals. The differences of these PK/PD parameters were compared among groups.

RESULTS

C_max and the AUC of insulin (0-6 h, 6-12 h and 0-24 h) were more than onefold higher in group A than those in groups B, C, D, and the concentration-time curve of group A was significantly shifted to the left compared with the other three groups. The GIR_max, total AUC_GIR, and AUC_GIR for each time interval were significantly higher in group A than those in other three groups. The proportion of AUC_GIR in group A was the lowest proportion among four groups seen in the late stage. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that BMI was negatively correlated with AUC_GIR,_{0-24 h}.

CONCLUSIONS

Insulin degludec in healthy Chinese male subjects with BMI ≤ 20.7 kg/m² had a faster absorption, clearance, and a stronger glucose-lowering effect, but a steeper decrease of insulin action in the late stage after dosing.

A Polymer Prodrug Strategy to Switch from Intravenous to Subcutaneous Cancer Therapy for Irritant/Vesicant Drugs

Chemotherapy is almost exclusively administered via the intravenous (IV) route, which has serious limitations (e.g., patient discomfort, long hospital stays, need for trained staff, high cost, catheter failures, infections). Therefore, the development of effective and less costly chemotherapy that is more comfortable for the patient would revolutionize cancer therapy. While subcutaneous (SC) administration has the potential to meet these criteria, it is extremely restrictive as it cannot be applied to most anticancer drugs, such as irritant or vesicant ones, for local toxicity reasons. Herein, we report a facile, general, and scalable approach for the SC administration of anticancer drugs through the design of well-defined hydrophilic polymer prodrugs. This was applied to the anticancer drug paclitaxel (Ptx) as a worst-case scenario due to its high hydrophobicity and vesicant properties (two factors promoting necrosis at the injection site). After a preliminary screening of well-established polymers used in nanomedicine, polyacrylamide (PAAm) was chosen as a hydrophilic polymer owing to its greater physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, and tumor accumulation properties. A small library of Ptx-based polymer prodrugs was designed by adjusting the nature of the linker (ester, diglycolate, and carbonate) and then evaluated in terms of rheological/viscosity properties in aqueous solutions, drug release kinetics in PBS and in murine plasma, cytotoxicity on two different cancer cell lines, acute local and systemic toxicity, pharmacokinetics and biodistribution, and finally their anticancer efficacy. We demonstrated that Ptx-PAAm polymer prodrugs could be safely injected subcutaneously without inducing local toxicity while outperforming Taxol, the commercial formulation of Ptx, thus opening the door to the safe transposition from IV to SC chemotherapy.

New Horizons: Next-Generation Insulin Analogues: Structural Principles and Clinical Goals

Design of "first-generation" insulin analogues over the past 3 decades has provided pharmaceutical formulations with tailored pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) properties. Application of a molecular tool kit-integrating protein sequence, chemical modification, and formulation-has thus led to improved prandial and basal formulations for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Although PK/PD changes were modest in relation to prior formulations of human and animal insulins, significant clinical advantages in efficacy (mean glycemia) and safety (rates of hypoglycemia) were obtained. Continuing innovation is providing further improvements to achieve ultrarapid and ultrabasal analogue formulations in an effort to reduce glycemic variability and optimize time in range. Beyond such PK/PD metrics, next-generation insulin analogues seek to exploit therapeutic mechanisms: glucose-responsive ("smart") analogues, pathway-specific ("biased") analogues, and organ-targeted analogues. Smart insulin analogues and delivery systems promise to mitigate hypoglycemic risk, a critical barrier to glycemic control, whereas biased and organ-targeted insulin analogues may better recapitulate physiologic hormonal regulation. In each therapeutic class considerations of cost and stability will affect use and global distribution. This review highlights structural principles underlying next-generation design efforts, their respective biological rationale, and potential clinical applications.

Insulin discovery: A pivotal point in medical history

The discovery of insulin in 1921 - due to the efforts of the Canadian research team based in Toronto - has been a landmark achievement in the history of medicine. Lives of people with diabetes were changed forever, considering that in the pre-insulin era this was a deadly condition. Insulin, right after its discovery, became the first hormone to be purified for human use, the first to be unraveled in its amino acid sequence and to be synthetized by DNA-recombinant technique, the first to be modified in its amino acid sequence to modify its duration of action. As such the discovery of insulin represents a pivotal point in medical history. Since the early days of its production, insulin has been improved in its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties in the attempt to faithfully reproduce diurnal physiologic plasma insulin fluctuations. The evolution of insulin molecule has been paralleled by evolution in the way the hormone is administered. Once-weekly insulins will be available soon, and glucose-responsive "smart" insulins start showing their potential in early clinical studies. The first century of insulin as therapy was marked by relentless search for better formulations, a search that has not stopped yet. New technologies may have, indeed, the potential to provide further improvement of safety and efficacy of insulin therapy and, therefore, contribute to improvement of the quality of life of people with diabetes.

Can Faster Aspart Be Used to Optimize Glycemic Control With Insulin Pump Therapy? From Expectations to Lessons Learned After a Year of Use in the United States

Fast-acting insulin aspart (faster aspart) is an ultra-rapid-acting formulation of insulin aspart developed to more closely match the prandial endogenous insulin profile, and its accelerated absorption kinetics are expected to provide clinical benefits for patients using insulin pump therapy. A head-to-head trial versus the original insulin aspart formulation in pump therapy did not demonstrate superiority of faster aspart in terms of A1C reduction, but pump settings were not optimized for the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile of faster aspart. Nevertheless, meal test and continuous glucose monitoring data suggest that faster aspart is beneficial for postprandial glucose control, and a case study is presented illustrating excellent results using this insulin in pump therapy. Frequent blood glucose monitoring and appropriate patient education are vital for success.

One-hundred year evolution of prandial insulin preparations: From animal pancreas extracts to rapid-acting analogs

The first insulin preparation injected in humans in 1922 was short-acting, extracted from animal pancreas, contaminated by impurities. Ever since the insulin extracted from animal pancreas has been continuously purified, until an unlimited synthesis of regular human insulin (RHI) became possible in the '80s using the recombinant-DNA (rDNA) technique. The rDNA technique then led to the designer insulins (analogs) in the early '90s. Rapid-acting insulin analogs were developed to accelerate the slow subcutaneous (sc) absorption of RHI, thus lowering the 2-h post-prandial plasma glucose (PP-PG) and risk for late hypoglycemia as comparing with RHI. The first rapid-acting analog was lispro (in 1996), soon followed by aspart and glulisine. Rapid-acting analogs are more convenient than RHI: they improve early PP-PG, and 24-h PG and A1C as long as basal insulin is also optimized; they lower the risk of late PP hypoglycemia and they allow a shorter time-interval between injection and meal. Today rapid-acting analogs are the gold standard prandial insulins. Recently, even faster analogs have become available (faster aspart, ultra-rapid lispro) or are being studied (Biochaperone lispro), making additional gains in lowering PP-PG. Rapid-acting analogs are recommended in all those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who need prandial insulin replacement.

Future directions in insulin therapy

Insulin therapy has a long history at the cutting edge of technological development through purification, extended-action, molecular chemistry, and devices, and in support technologies including self-measurement and patient education. But unmet needs remain large. Today's therapy cannot deliver minute-to-minute control of glucose levels, and cannot imitate the reflex/incretin driven physiological insulin delivery at mealtimes. Further it depends on a raft of devices for administration several times a day, devices liked for their functionality, but disliked as an intrusive reminder of the condition, several times a day. Approaches to overcoming these barriers include closed-loop systems and further modification of insulin formulations, but are limited by fundamental underlying difficulties. While clinical studies of oral insulin are in progress, the barriers to success look daunting. Development of small-molecule approaches (insulin-mimetic tablets) appears to have stalled, while concepts for glucose-responsive insulin as yet fail to deliver the necessary insulin-to-glucose gradient. Gene therapy, feasible in animals in preliminary studies, is not capable of providing feedback control. Transplantation of cultured islets and islet B-cells from stem cells thus looks to the be the best long-term prospect for insulin delivery in terms of overcoming the above barriers, but is a true biotechnological tour-de-force which will take time to mature.

Insulin therapy development beyond 100 years

The first insulin preparation capable of consistently lowering blood glucose was developed in 1921. But 100 years later, blood glucose control with insulin in people with diabetes is nearly universally suboptimal, with essentially the same molecule still delivered by the same inappropriate subcutaneous injection route. Bypassing this route with oral administration appears to have become technologically feasible, accelerating over the past 50 years, either with packaged insulin peptides or by chemical insulin mimetics. Some of the problems of prospective unregulated absorption of insulin into the circulation from subcutaneous depots might be overcome with glucose-responsive insulins. Approaches to these problems could be modification of the peptide by adducts, or the use of nanoparticles or insulin patches, which deliver insulin according to glucose concentration. Some attention has been paid to targeting insulin preferentially to different organs, either by molecular engineering of insulin, or with adducts. But all these approaches still have problems in even beginning to match the responsiveness of physiological insulin delivery to metabolic requirements, both prandially and basally. As would be expected, for all these technically complex approaches, many examples of abandoned development can be found. Meanwhile, it is becoming possible to change the duration of action of subcutaneous injected insulin analogues to act even more rapidly for meals, and towards weekly insulin for basal administration. The state of the art of all these approaches, and the barriers to success, are reviewed here.

Structural principles of insulin formulation and analog design: A century of innovation

BACKGROUND

The discovery of insulin in 1921 and its near-immediate clinical use initiated a century of innovation. Advances extended across a broad front, from the stabilization of animal insulin formulations to the frontiers of synthetic peptide chemistry, and in turn, from the advent of recombinant DNA manufacturing to structure-based protein analog design. In each case, a creative interplay was observed between pharmaceutical applications and then-emerging principles of protein science; indeed, translational objectives contributed to a growing molecular understanding of protein structure, aggregation and misfolding.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

Pioneering crystallographic analyses-beginning with Hodgkin's solving of the 2-Zn insulin hexamer-elucidated general features of protein self-assembly, including zinc coordination and the allosteric transmission of conformational change. Crystallization of insulin was exploited both as a step in manufacturing and as a means of obtaining protracted action. Forty years ago, the confluence of recombinant human insulin with techniques for site-directed mutagenesis initiated the present era of insulin analogs. Variant or modified insulins were developed that exhibit improved prandial or basal pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Encouraged by clinical trials demonstrating the long-term importance of glycemic control, regimens based on such analogs sought to resemble daily patterns of endogenous β-cell secretion more closely, ideally with reduced risk of hypoglycemia.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Next-generation insulin analog design seeks to explore new frontiers, including glucose-responsive insulins, organ-selective analogs and biased agonists tailored to address yet-unmet clinical needs. In the coming decade, we envision ever more powerful scientific synergies at the interface of structural biology, molecular physiology and therapeutics.

A Century of Progress in Diabetes Care with Insulin: A History of Innovations and Foundation for the Future

The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, which has greatly changed the lives of people with diabetes and become a cornerstone of advances in medical science. A rapid bench-to-bedside application of the lifesaving pancreatic extract and its immediate commercialization was the result of a promising idea, positive drive, perseverance, and collaboration of Banting and colleagues. As one of the very few proteins isolated in a pure form at that time, insulin also played a key role in the development of important methodologies and in the beginning of various fields of modern science. Since its discovery, insulin has evolved continuously to optimize the care of people with diabetes. Since the 1980s, recombinant DNA technology has been employed to engineer insulin analogs by modifying their amino acid sequence, which has resulted in the production of insulins with various profiles that are currently used. However, unmet needs in insulin treatment still exist, and several forms of future insulins are under development. In this review, we discuss the past, present, and future of insulin, including a history of ceaseless innovations and collective intelligence. We believe that this story will be a solid foundation and an unerring guide for the future.

A Euglycemic Glucose Clamp Study to Evaluate the Bioavailability of LY2963016 Relative to Insulin Glargine in Healthy Chinese Subjects

Insulin glargine (IGlar) and LY2963016 (LY IGlar) are long-acting insulin analogs with identical primary amino acid sequences. We conducted a randomized, open-label, 2-treatment, 2-period, crossover study in healthy Chinese subjects to evaluate the relative bioavailability of LY IGlar to IGlar and pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of LY IGlar. Subjects (n = 58) were randomized to receive single subcutaneous doses (0.5 U/kg) of LY IGlar and IGlar with a ≥7-day washout period between study treatments. Serum was collected before and up to 24 hours after dosing to assess PK characteristics. PD characteristics were assessed by euglycemic clamp up to 24 hours after dosing. Linear mixed-effects models were used to fit the log-transformed primary PK (maximum observed concentration and area under the concentration-time curve from time 0 to 24 hours) and PD parameters (maximum glucose infusion rate and total amount of glucose infused during clamp period). The geometric least squares means ratios (90% confidence interval) of LY IGlar to IGlar for maximum observed concentration and area under the concentration-time curve from time 0 to 24 hours were 0.961 (0.887-1.04) and 0.941 (0.872-1.01), respectively. The geometric least squares means ratios (90% confidence interval) of LY IGlar to IGlar were 0.91 (0.85-0.98) for maximum glucose infusion rate and 0.89 (0.82-0.97) for total amount of glucose infused during clamp period. LY IGlar demonstrated similarity to IGlar in PK and PD characteristics following single-dose (0.5 U/kg) administration in healthy Chinese subjects.

Dual-hormone artificial pancreas for management of type 1 diabetes: Recent progress and future directions

Over the last few years, technological advances have led to tremendous improvement in the management of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Artificial pancreas systems have been shown to improve glucose control compared with conventional insulin pump therapy. However, clinically significant hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes still occur with the artificial pancreas. Postprandial glucose excursions and exercise-induced hypoglycemia represent major hurdles in improving glucose control and glucose variability in many patients with T1D. In this regard, dual-hormone artificial pancreas systems delivering other hormones in addition to insulin (glucagon or amylin) may better reproduce the physiology of the endocrine pancreas and have been suggested as an alternative tool to overcome these limitations in clinical practice. In addition, novel ultra-rapid-acting insulin analogs with a more physiological time-action profile are currently under investigation for use in artificial pancreas devices, aiming to address the unmet need for further improvements in postprandial glucose control. This review article aims to discuss the current progress and future outlook in the development of novel ultra-rapid insulin analogs and dual-hormone closed-loop systems, which offer the next steps to fully closing the loop in the artificial pancreas.

An ultrafast insulin formulation enabled by high-throughput screening of engineered polymeric excipients

Insulin has been used to treat diabetes for almost 100 years; yet, current rapid-acting insulin formulations do not have sufficiently fast pharmacokinetics to maintain tight glycemic control at mealtimes. Dissociation of the insulin hexamer, the primary association state of insulin in rapid-acting formulations, is the rate-limiting step that leads to delayed onset and extended duration of action. A formulation of insulin monomers would more closely mimic endogenous postprandial insulin secretion, but monomeric insulin is unstable in solution using present formulation strategies and rapidly aggregates into amyloid fibrils. Here, we implement high-throughput-controlled radical polymerization techniques to generate a large library of acrylamide carrier/dopant copolymer (AC/DC) excipients designed to reduce insulin aggregation. Our top-performing AC/DC excipient candidate enabled the development of an ultrafast-absorbing insulin lispro (UFAL) formulation, which remains stable under stressed aging conditions for 25 ± 1 hours compared to 5 ± 2 hours for commercial fast-acting insulin lispro formulations (Humalog). In a porcine model of insulin-deficient diabetes, UFAL exhibited peak action at 9 ± 4 min, whereas commercial Humalog exhibited peak action at 25 ± 10 min. These ultrafast kinetics make UFAL a promising candidate for improving glucose control and reducing burden for patients with diabetes.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Three Different Formulations of Insulin Aspart: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Study in Men With Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and safety of a novel formulation of insulin aspart (AT247) versus two currently marketed insulin aspart formulations (NovoRapid [IAsp] and Fiasp [faster IAsp]).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This single-center, randomized, double-blind, three-period, crossover study was conducted in 19 men with type 1 diabetes, receiving single dosing of trial products (0.3 units/kg) in a random order on three visits. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were assessed during a euglycemic clamp lasting up to 8 h.

RESULTS

Onset of insulin appearance was earlier for AT247 compared with IAsp (-12 min [95% CI -14; -8], P = 0.0004) and faster IAsp (-2 min [-5; -2], P = 0.0003). Onset of action was accelerated compared with IAsp (-23 min [-37; -15], P = 0.0004) and faster IAsp (-9 min [-11; -3], P = 0.0006). Within the first 60 min, a higher exposure was observed for AT247 compared with IAsp by the area under the curve (AUC) glucose infusion rate (GIR) from 0 to 60 min (AUC_Asp0-60min: treatment ratio vs. IAsp 2.3 [1.9; 2.9] vs. faster IAsp 1.5 [1.3; 1.8]), which was underpinned by a greater early glucose-lowering effect (AUC_GIR,0-60min: treatment ratio vs. IAsp 2.8 [2.0; 5.5] vs. faster IAsp 1.7 [1.3; 2.3]). Furthermore, an earlier offset of exposure was observed for AT247 compared with IAsp (-32 min [-58; -15], P = 0.0015) and faster IAsp (-27 min [-85; -15], P = 0.0017), while duration of the glucose-lowering effect, measured by time to late half-maximum effect, did not differ significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

AT247 exhibited an earlier insulin appearance, exposure, and offset, with corresponding enhanced early glucose-lowering effect compared with IAsp and faster IAsp. It therefore represents a promising candidate in the pursuit for second-generation prandial insulin analogs to improve postprandial glycemic control.

Advances in newer basal and bolus insulins: impact on type 1 diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Insulin administration is vitally important to maintain a good glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The purpose of this review is to give a clinically relevant overview of the newer basal and bolus insulin analogues and to highlight their practicalities of use and advantages in specific categories of patients with T1DM.

RECENT FINDINGS

Second-generation rapid-acting insulin analogues (i.e. faster insulin aspart and ultrarapid-acting lispro) have shown to be safe, efficient and superior in controlling postprandial plasma glucose levels without an increase in hypoglycaemia. The newest basal insulin analogues, insulin glargine U300 and degludec, have proven to be efficient in reducing hypoglycaemic events due to a more stable action profile.

SUMMARY

The second-generation rapid-acting and basal insulin analogues approach better the desired physiological insulin pattern of the beta cell. Due to a faster absorption, it is possible to inject the prandial insulin analogues more closely or even after meals without compromising postprandial glucose control. Due to more stable release patterns, basal insulins now have more reliable and longer profiles, covering basal insulin demands in a superior way, leading to a better glycaemic control with less hypoglycaemia (especially nocturnal events) and an improved quality of life.

Engineering biopharmaceutical formulations to improve diabetes management

Insulin was first isolated almost a century ago, yet commercial formulations of insulin and its analogs for hormone replacement therapy still fall short of appropriately mimicking endogenous glycemic control. Moreover, the controlled delivery of complementary hormones (such as amylin or glucagon) is complicated by instability of the pharmacologic agents and complexity of maintaining multiple infusions. In this review, we highlight the advantages and limitations of recent advances in drug formulation that improve protein stability and pharmacokinetics, prolong drug delivery, or enable alternative dosage forms for the management of diabetes. With controlled delivery, these formulations could improve closed-loop glycemic control.

Fast-Acting Insulin Aspart Use with the MiniMedTM 670G System

Background: This study assessed the efficacy and safety of ultrarapid insulin Fiasp^® in the hybrid closed-loop MiniMed™ 670G system. Methods: This was a pilot randomized double-blinded crossover study among established MiniMed™ 670G users comparing percentage time in range (TIR) and hypoglycemia for Novolog^® and Fiasp. After 2 weeks optimization with their home insulin, participants were randomized to receive Novolog or Fiasp for 2 weeks, followed by the other insulin for the next 2 weeks. Data from the second week of blinded insulin use were analyzed to allow 1 week for 670G adaptation. During the second week, individuals were asked to eat the same breakfast for 3 days to assess differences in meal pharmacodynamics. Results: Nineteen adults were recruited with mean age of 40 ± 18 years, diabetes duration of 27 ± 12 years, and median hemoglobin A1c of 7.1% (6.9, 7.5), using 0.72 (0.4, 1.2) units/(kg·day). For Novolog and Fiasp, respectively, the %TIR (70-180 mg/dL) was 75.3 ± 9.5 and 78.4 ± 9.3; %time <70 mg/dL was 3.1 ± 2.1 and 2.3 ± 2.0; %time >180 mg/dL was 21.6 ± 9.0 and 19.3 ± 8.9; mean glucose was 147 ± 12 and 146 ± 12 mg/dL; coefficient of variation was 28.6% ± 4.5% and 26.8% ± 4.4%; %time in auto mode 86.4 ± 9.2 and 84.4 ± 9.2. All comparisons were nonsignificant for insulin type. Total daily dose (Novolog 48.8 ± 28.4 vs. Fiasp 52.4 ± 31.7 units; P = 0.01) and daily basal (Novolog 17.6 [15.5, 33.8] vs. Fiasp 19.1 [15.3, 38.5] units; P = 0.07) correlated with TIR and %time >180 mg/dL. For insulin delivery in auto mode there was no statistical difference in total daily dose or daily basal between arms. Paired analysis for matched breakfast meals revealed no significant differences in time to maximum glucose, peak glucose, or glucose excursion. Conclusions: In this pilot study, the use of either Novolog or Fiasp in a commercially available MiniMed 670G system operating in auto mode resulted in clinically similar glycemic outcomes, with a slight increase in daily insulin requirements using Fiasp.

Recent Advances in Insulin Therapy

Insulin therapy has advanced remarkably over the past few decades. Ultra-rapid-acting and ultra-long-acting insulin analogs are now commercially available. Many additional insulin formulations are in development. This review outlines recent advances in insulin therapy and novel therapies in development.

New and Emerging Technologies in Type 1 Diabetes

There has been a rapid advancement in the pace of development of new diabetes technologies and therapies for the management of type 1 diabetes over the past decade. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial conclusively established that tight glycemic control with intensive insulin therapy decreases the rates of diabetes complications in proportion to glycemic control, and diabetes technologies have accordingly been developed to help patients reach these goals. In this review, the authors discuss new diabetes therapeutics and technologies, including new insulin analogues, insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring systems, and automated insulin delivery systems."

Type 1 Diabetes and Physical Exercise: Moving (forward) as an Adjuvant Therapy

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by an autoimmune β-cell destruction resulting in endogenous insulin deficiency, potentially leading to micro- and macrovascular complications. Besides an exogenous insulin therapy and continuous glucose monitoring, physical exercise is recommended in adults with type 1 diabetes to improve overall health. The close relationship between physical exercise, inflammation, muscle contraction, and macronutrient intake has never been discussed in detail about type 1 diabetes. The aim of this narrative review was to detail the role of physical exercise in improving clinical outcomes, physiological responses to exercise and different nutrition and therapy strategies around exercise. Physical exercise has several positive effects on glucose uptake and systemic inflammation in adults with type 1 diabetes. A new approach via personalized therapy adaptations must be applied to target beneficial effects on complications as well as on body weight management. In combination with pre-defined macronutrient intake around exercise, adults with type 1 diabetes can expect similar physiological responses to physical exercise, as seen in their healthy counterparts. This review highlights interesting findings from recent studies related to exercise and type 1 diabetes. However, there is limited research available accompanied by a proper number of participants in the cohort of type 1 diabetes. Especially for this group of patients, an increased understanding of the impact of physical exercise can improve its effectiveness as an adjuvant therapy to move (forward).

Pharmacokinetics of Faster and Standard Insulin Aspart During Fully Closed-Loop Insulin Delivery in Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Faster insulin aspart is a novel formulation of insulin aspart aiming to accelerate its subcutaneous absorption. The aim of this study was to compare pharmacokinetics of faster insulin aspart versus standard insulin aspart in adults with type 2 diabetes during closed-loop insulin delivery. Methods: We assessed the pharmacokinetics of faster and standard insulin aspart from data obtained in a randomized double-blind crossover study evaluating fully closed-loop insulin delivery in adults with type 2 diabetes (n = 13, age 59 ± 10 years, BMI 34.5 ± 9.1 kg/m², HbA1c 7.7% ± 1.2% [60 ± 13 mmol/mol]). Blood samples were collected every 15-30 min for 10 h to determine plasma insulin aspart concentration using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Time to peak plasma concentration (T_max) was calculated using a two-compartment model. Results:T_max was 68.7 ± 21.6 min for faster aspart and 89.7 ± 31.8 min for aspart (mean paired difference faster aspart minus aspart -15.5 min, 95% CI [-31.6 to 0.6 min], P = 0.06). Metabolic clearance rate did not differ between the two insulins (P = 0.61). Insulin amount delivered during closed-loop with faster aspart positively correlated with T_max (r_S = 0.73, P = 0.01), whereas no statistically significant correlation was found with body mass index (BMI), weight or HbA1C (all P > 0.18). Conclusion: In conclusion, T_max tended to be shorter for faster aspart versus aspart during fully automated closed-loop insulin delivery and positively correlated with the amount of insulin delivered.

Where Do We Stand with Closed-Loop Systems and Their Challenges?

Treatments for type 1 diabetes have advanced significantly over recent years. There are now multiple hybrid closed-loop systems commercially available and additional systems are in development. Challenges remain, however. This review outlines the recent advances in closed-loop systems and outlines the remaining challenges, including post-prandial hyperglycemia and exercise-related dysglycemia.

The continuing quest for better subcutaneously administered prandial insulins: a review of recent developments and potential clinical implications

The class of rapid-acting insulin analogues were introduced more than 20 years ago to control postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) excursions better than unmodified regular human insulin. Insulins, lispro, aspart and glulisine all achieved an earlier onset of action, greater peak effect and shorter duration of action resulting in lower PPG levels and a reduced risk of late postprandial hypoglycaemia. However, the subcutaneous absorption rate of these analogues still fails to match the physiological profile of insulin in the systemic circulation following a meal. Recent reformulations of aspart and lispro have generated a second generation of more rapid-acting insulin analogue candidates, including fast-acting aspart (faster aspart), ultra-rapid lispro and BioChaperone Lispro. These modifications have the potential to mimic physiological prandial insulin secretion better with an even earlier onset of action with improved PPG control, shorter duration of effect and reduced risk of hypoglycaemia. Recent phase 3 trials in type 1 and type 2 diabetes show that faster aspart and ultra-rapid lispro compared with conventional aspart and lispro, achieved fewer PPG excursions with a small increase in post-meal hypoglycaemia but similar or marginally superior glycated haemoglobin levels, and suggest the need for parallel optimization of basal insulin replacement. Phase 1 trials for BioChaperone Lispro are equally encouraging with phase 3 trials yet to be initiated. Comparative analysis of the clinical and pharmacological evidence for these new prandial insulin candidates in the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is the main focus of this review.

Volumetric Food Quantification Using Computer Vision on a Depth-Sensing Smartphone: Preclinical Study

Background

Quantification of dietary intake is key to the prevention and management of numerous metabolic disorders. Conventional approaches are challenging, laborious, and lack accuracy. The recent advent of depth-sensing smartphones in conjunction with computer vision could facilitate reliable quantification of food intake.

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a novel smartphone app combining depth-sensing hardware with computer vision to quantify meal macronutrient content using volumetry.

Methods

The app ran on a smartphone with a built-in depth sensor applying structured light (iPhone X). The app estimated weight, macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, fat), and energy content of 48 randomly chosen meals (breakfasts, cooked meals, snacks) encompassing 128 food items. The reference weight was generated by weighing individual food items using a precision scale. The study endpoints were (1) error of estimated meal weight, (2) error of estimated meal macronutrient content and energy content, (3) segmentation performance, and (4) processing time.

Results

In both absolute and relative terms, the mean (SD) absolute errors of the app’s estimates were 35.1 g (42.8 g; relative absolute error: 14.0% [12.2%]) for weight; 5.5 g (5.1 g; relative absolute error: 14.8% [10.9%]) for carbohydrate content; 1.3 g (1.7 g; relative absolute error: 12.3% [12.8%]) for fat content; 2.4 g (5.6 g; relative absolute error: 13.0% [13.8%]) for protein content; and 41.2 kcal (42.5 kcal; relative absolute error: 12.7% [10.8%]) for energy content. Although estimation accuracy was not affected by the viewing angle, the type of meal mattered, with slightly worse performance for cooked meals than for breakfasts and snacks. Segmentation adjustment was required for 7 of the 128 items. Mean (SD) processing time across all meals was 22.9 seconds (8.6 seconds).

Conclusions

This study evaluated the accuracy of a novel smartphone app with an integrated depth-sensing camera and found highly accurate volume estimation across a broad range of food items. In addition, the system demonstrated high segmentation performance and low processing time, highlighting its usability.

Use of fast-acting insulin aspart in insulin pump therapy in clinical practice

Fast-acting insulin aspart (faster aspart) is a novel formulation of insulin aspart (IAsp) containing the additional excipients niacinamide and L-arginine. The improved pharmacological profile and greater early glucose-lowering action of faster aspart compared with IAsp suggests that faster aspart may be advantageous for people with diabetes using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). The recent onset 5 trial was the first to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an ultra-fast-acting insulin in CSII therapy in a large number of participants with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Non-inferiority of faster aspart to IAsp in terms of change from baseline in HbA1c was confirmed, with an estimated treatment difference (ETD) of 0.09% (95% CI, 0.01; 0.17; P < 0.001 for non-inferiority [0.4% margin]). Faster aspart was superior to IAsp in terms of change from baseline in 1-hour post-prandial glucose (PPG) increment after a meal test (ETD [95% CI], -0.91 mmol/L [-1.43; -0.39]; P = 0.001), with statistically significant improvements also at 30 minutes and 2 hours. The overall rate of severe or blood glucose-confirmed hypoglycaemia was not statistically significantly different between treatments, with an estimated rate ratio of 1.00 (95% CI, 0.85; 1.16). A numerical imbalance in severe hypoglycaemic episodes between faster aspart and IAsp was seen in the treatment (21 vs 7) and the 4-week run-in periods (4 vs 0). Experience from clinical practice indicates that all pump settings should be reviewed when initiating faster aspart with CSII, and that the use of continuous glucose monitoring or flash glucose monitoring, along with a good understanding of meal content and bolus type, may also facilitate optimal use. This review summarizes the available clinical evidence for faster aspart administered via CSII and highlights practical considerations based on clinical experience that may help healthcare providers and individuals with T1D successfully initiate and adjust faster aspart with CSII.