Reducing the Burden of Insulin Therapy
Laurie Broadwater
Head of Analytical Chemistry, Thermalin Inc
Thermalin is designing new forms of insulin peptides that lower the burden of insulin use, increase patient adoption of and adherence to insulin therapy, improve patient lives and outcomes, and lower the cost of caring for people with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) or Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Founded in 2010 and based on the pioneering work of Dr. Michael Weiss in the structure and function of insulin analogues, Thermalin is overcoming the limitations of existing insulin products by re-engineering insulin molecules to be more stable and to act more selectively. Ultra-rapid acting, ultra-concentrated, glucose responsive, patch and oral insulins facilitate novel drug delivery systems and ground-breaking treatments for diabetic patients. The substitution of amino acid residues and additional constituents not only changes the physiological action of the molecule but also its physical properties, requiring unique synthesis methods. These unconventional methods facilitate the production of molecules with sufficient purity and yields for downstream molecule characterization, assay development and qualification. Additionally, development of unique bioanalytical, biophysical, and in vitro/in vivo testing assessments is required to characterize the new modes of action exhibited by these new insulin peptides. Thermalin has insulin peptides in discovery and pre-clinical drug development phases.