Hypoglycemia Prevention - Testing a disposable patch that delivers glucagon

One of the greatest fears among many people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is insulin therapy-associated hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Marked by symptoms such as trembling, sweating, confusion and dizziness, severe episodes can lead to seizures, or a coma – and even death.

Dr. Xiao Yu (Shirley) Wu, a JDRF-funded investigator at the University of Toronto, is developing a glucose-responsive, microneedle patch for the delivery of glucagon to prevent hypoglycemia in people with T1D. In 2019, her group published results in the journal Advanced Materials showing how the patch worked in a preclinical model, paving the way for testing the new approach in humans.

Applied to the skin during sleep, exercise or when performing full-attention tasks such as driving, the patch senses when blood glucose levels are falling into a dangerous range, and then automatically releases the counter-regulatory hormone, glucagon, to prevent a low.

With further development, Dr. Wu’s glucagon patch could minimize the risk of hypoglycemic episodes and death among people living with T1D, and alleviate the psychological burden of hypoglycemia anxiety, thereby improving quality of life.

“With the generous support from JDRF, our team will continue advancing the development of the glucose-responsive glucagon patch, aiming at clinical trials in the near future,” says Dr. Wu.