Microneedle-array patches loaded with hypoxia-sensitive vesicles provide fast glucose-responsive insulin delivery

A glucose-responsive "closed-loop" insulin delivery system mimicking the function of pancreatic cells has tremendous potential to improve quality of life and health in diabetics. Here, we report a novel glucose-responsive insulin delivery device using a painless microneedle-array patch ("smart insulin patch") containing glucose-responsive vesicles (GRVs; with an average diameter of 118 nm), which are loaded with insulin and glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme. The GRVs are self-assembled from hypoxia-sensitive hyaluronic acid (HS-HA) conjugated with 2-nitroimidazole (NI), a hydrophobic component that can be converted to hydrophilic 2-aminoimidazoles through bioreduction under hypoxic conditions. The local hypoxic…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1UL1TR001111, 1-15-ACE-21
• AD
  American Diabetes Association

  Awards: 1-15-ACE-21, 1-14-JF-29
• AD
  American Diabetes Association Research Foundation

  Awards: 1-15-ACE-21, 1-14-JF-29
• NC
  North Carolina State University

  Award: 1UL1TR001111
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: 1UL1TR001111
• UO
  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  Award: 1UL1TR001111