NIDDK Early Career Investigator Symposium—Behavioral and Physiological Adaptations to Optimize Glucose Control with Technology—What Is Needed to Improve Outcomes and to Overcome Access and Adoption Barriers?
Monday, June 26, at 8:00 a.m. PT
Ballroom 20D
San Diego Convention Center
Presentation: What Is Needed to Improve Outcomes? More Physiological Delivery of Hormone Replacement in Diabetes
Eric A. Appel, PhD
Associate Professor,
Stanford University
What is your presentation about?
In this work, we describe the use of novel copolymer excipients to develop an ultrafast formulation of insulin and an ultrafast co-formulation of insulin lispro and pramlintide. The synchronous pharmacokinetics and ultra-rapid action of our insulin/pramlintide co-formulation has the potential to improve mealtime glucose management and reduce patient burden in the treatment of diabetes.
What makes this topic important in 2023?
There is a critical need for pharmaceuticals providing more physiological delivery of hormone replacement to improve diabetes management.
How did you become involved with this area of diabetes research or care?
My career has focused on development of new technologies to improve the formulation and delivery of biopharmaceuticals. The complex pharmaceutical requirements for optimal management of mealtime glucose, and a clinical need for pharmaceuticals better able to recapitulate endogenous hormone function, highlights a critical need for better formulation technologies.
How do you think your presentation will impact diabetes research or care?
Overall, our work demonstrates that novel excipient technologies can be used to develop an insulin-pramlintide co-formulation drug product candidate that exhibits synchronized ultrafast insulin-pramlintide pharmacokinetics resulting in better glycemic control at mealtimes. This ultrafast co-formulation also demonstrates the potential to improve glucose management and reduce patient burden in clinical applications, using it for both direct bolus administration as well as in insulin infusion pumps or artificial pancreas closed-loop systems.
What are you most looking forward to at the 83rd Scientific Sessions?
The Scientific Sessions always inspire me to think more broadly about our science and the field generally. I’m excited to learn more about what other research groups are focusing on to improve diabetes care.