Diabetes Research Centre Conducts Unique Research In Type 2 Diabetes

EHM News Bureau

Diabetes Research Centre (DRC), Chennai, is involved in a number of clinical trials involving new molecules in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Of the estimated 30 million diabetic patients in India, 95 per cent have type 2 diabetes. According to Dr Vijay Viswanathan, Joint Director, DRC, "At present, there are four types of molecules for treating type 2 diabetes. However, in about 40 per cent of patients with type 2 diabetes, the existing oral tablets don't control adequately and need insulin injections. There are more than three molecules in the pipeline for treating type 2 diabetic patients."

These molecules are under clinical investigations at present in India and when available will help type 2 diabetic patients not controlled with the present tablets to postpone insulin injections for sometime.

These new molecules are those that are concerned with increasing GLP-1 (Glucagon - like - peptide - 1) levels. This is a hormone which increases insulin secretion. It is also believed that they increase the number of insulin producing cells which will be a real boon for type 2 diabetic patients who will need insulin soon, added Dr Viswanathan.

Additionally, an Indo-US collaboration between Diabetes Research Centre, and Harvard Vietnam Medical Education Programe, Boston, has been started in Chennai to save the diabetic patients from the misery of losing their legs.

In India, diabetic patients spend Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 each time they develop foot infection. In order to prevent amputation, doctors from various states of India have been trained by conducting workshops on diabetic foot complication.

About 700 doctors from different parts of India have been trained so far in these workshops. The expertise of American specialists using modern technology along with the experience of the Indian experts with their traditional knowledge has resulted in the development of guidelines for the management of foot problems to prevent amputations in developing countries using a mix of modern and traditional knowledge.

"The collaboration is also looking at newer methods of preventing foot complications in Indian diabetic patients in terms of cheap footwear, newer wound healing strategies," added Dr Viwanathan.

DRC along with CLRI in a project funded by Novo Nordisk Education Foundation has recently produced branded diabetic footwear. The Research study, to be published soon, has shown good results in diabetic patient with a high-risk foot.

DRC has taken up research projects to investigate the reasons for delayed wound healing in diabetics.

"Research looking at newer wound dressing material is being done. These newer dressing materials though a little expensive than the older forms of dressing material is beneficial to patients because it cuts down the cost of frequent travel to a doctor or hospital for dressing change and also reduces the healing period. Research is being done with Coloplast, Denmark to see the usefulness of such dressing materials in India," added Dr Viswanathan.