Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have made significant strides toward developing an oral treatment for diabetes, potentially eliminating the need for daily insulin injections.
In 2015, the team identified harmine, a DYRK1A inhibitor capable of stimulating the regeneration of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
Subsequent studies revealed that combining harmine with GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide (Ozempic) or exenatide (Byetta), significantly enhanced beta cell proliferation.
By July 2024, harmine alone was shown to increase human beta cell mass by 300%, and by 700% when combined with a GLP-1 receptor agonist. A recent breakthrough suggests that alpha cells in the pancreas can transform into insulin-producing beta cells.
Since alpha cells are abundant in individuals with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, they may serve as a reservoir for generating new beta cells.
Dr. Esra Karakose, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai, stated, “This is an exciting finding that shows harmine-family drugs may be able to induce lineage conversion in human pancreatic islets.”
The Mount Sinai team is now advancing these studies toward human trials, aiming to develop an affordable and scalable oral treatment for the millions affected by diabetes worldwide.
Dr. Andrew F. Stewart, Director of the Mount Sinai Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism Institute, noted, “A simple pill, perhaps together with a GLP1RA like semaglutide, is affordable and scalable to the millions of people with diabetes.” This potential therapy could revolutionize diabetes management, offering a more accessible and less invasive alternative to insulin injections.
