Research on Insulin From Dogs and Cats Pancreas

Scientists began investigating how to produce insulin using the Pancreas from dogs and cattle over a century ago. Since then, insulin has been used to treat diabetics, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that genetic engineering enabled mass distribution of this life-saving treatment. Insulin is a hormone produced by the Pancreas that regulates glucose levels in the bloodstream in a healthy human body.

However, because a diabetic’s body cannot manufacture insulin naturally, the body cannot store glucose for later use as energy in fat cells. As a result, fat cells break down and overproduce keto acids, the chemical components responsible for turning glucose into energy, resulting in acid levels that the liver cannot handle. If a person with diabetes does not have access to insulin, the acid imbalance can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal illness. This is why people with diabetes must closely monitor their insulin levels and take medication to stay alive.

Over seven million Americans with diabetes use at least one type of insulin to manage their condition, but many are in danger of not receiving the treatment they require. According to the American Diabetes Association, 25% of patients have resorted to self-rationing their prescription for coping with its ever-increasing cost. The conventional method for producing insulin involves using an amino acid sequencing machine to generate it in common bacteria such as E. coli or yeast.

Pharmaceutical companies are believed to spend $5 to $6 every vial of insulin to manufacture, but they can sell vials for $180 to $400 due to a sophisticated web of laws. Costs are always on the rise. Between 2002 and 2013, insulin prices tripled, then doubled between 2012 and 2016.