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Updated: Nov 19, 2025

Sustained Administration of β-cell Mitogens to Intact Mouse Islets Ex Vivo Using Biodegradable Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Microspheres
Published on: November 5, 2016
Engineering biopharmaceutical formulations to improve diabetes management
Caitlin L Maikawa1, Andrea I d'Aquino2, Rayhan A Lal3,4,5
1Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Abstract:
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.
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