Using albumin to improve the therapeutic properties of diabetes treatments.

• Achieving tight glycaemic control remains an unmet need for many patients with type 2 diabetes, despite improved treatments. In order to meet glycaemic targets, attempts have been made to improve existing drugs and to develop new classes of drugs. Recent advances include insulin analogues that more closely mimic physiologic insulin levels, and incretin-based therapies, which capitalise on the glucoregulatory properties of native glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Although promising, these agents are associated with limitations, including hypoglycaemia with insulin, gastrointestinal adverse events with GLP-1 receptor agonists and frequent dosing with both classes. Albumin is an abundant natural drug carrier that has been used to improve the half-life, tolerability and efficacy of a number of bioactive agents. Here we review the physiologic roles of albumin and how albumin technologies are being used to prolong duration of action of therapies for diabetes, including insulin and incretin-based therapies.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Endokrinologi och diabetes (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Endocrinology and Diabetes (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)