An experimental implant that removes excess glucose from the bloodstream has helped stabilize blood sugar and reduce body weight in mice with diabetes and obesity. The wireless, inch-long device works with a continuous glucose monitor and a smartphone-controlled electrical system that adjusts glucose removal in response to the animal’s needs. The researchers say the approach is promising, but it must still be tested in larger animals and eventually in humans.
How the glucose-removing implant works
The device converts glucose into a harmless byproduct called gluconate through a controlled chemical reaction triggered by small amounts of electricity. The reaction takes place at electrodes coated with gold and platinum nanoparticles embedded in graphite felt.
Because the reaction occurs only when the implant receives sufficient power, the researchers can turn glucose removal on or off by controlling the amount of electricity supplied to the device.
The implant is powered and controlled wirelessly by a regular smartphone. The phone emits low-level radiofrequency energy, which the implant’s electronics convert into a steady direct current that activates the glucose-conversion reaction.
When combined with a continuous blood glucose monitor, the system can detect high blood sugar and send feedback to the smartphone. The phone then adjusts the power delivered to the implant. In principle, the device can remove more glucose when blood sugar is high and reduce its activity when glucose returns to the desired range.
“The goal is to create an autonomous system that continuously adapts to the patient’s metabolic needs,” Martin Fussenegger, a professor of biotechnology and bioengineering at ETH Zurich, told Live Science via email.
Results from tests in mice
Type 2 diabetes affects people around the world, while more than 1 billion people live with obesity. Obesity is often associated with insulin resistance, in which cells do not respond effectively to insulin and cannot take in enough glucose from the blood. The body initially produces more insulin to compensate, but it may eventually be unable to keep up, increasing the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
About 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are obese or overweight, according to the source article. At the same time, chemical reactions in the liver can convert excess glucose in the blood into fat stores, contributing to further weight gain.
Current treatments generally focus on lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, or long-term medications. Metformin lowers blood sugar levels, while GLP-1 drugs reduce appetite and promote weight loss. Fussenegger and his colleagues instead wanted to target glucose directly.
The researchers tested the self-regulating device on mice with diabetes and obesity. After six weeks, mice with the implants had much more stable blood sugar levels than untreated mice and had lost an average of 10% of their body weight.
Keeping glucose within normal levels shifted the animals’ metabolism toward burning fat. The implant’s ability to switch glucose clearance on and off also prevented blood sugar from falling below safe limits.
More testing is needed
In a separate experiment, the researchers placed the device in a large beaker containing a sugar solution with a volume of approximately 1.3 gallons (5 liters), roughly the total blood volume of a person. The device effectively controlled glucose levels in this larger system.
However, the beaker experiment does not replace studies in large animals or human patients. Those studies are the team’s next priority.
“One of the key challenges is to demonstrate that this device can convert sufficient amounts of glucose in humans while maintaining long-term safety and catalytic efficiency,” Fussenegger said. The researchers must determine whether the larger-scale chemical reactions needed to treat human patients can occur safely and effectively.
The implants were described in a study published October 22 in the journal Science. Fussenegger’s team is currently working on testing the device in additional laboratory animals and eventually in humans.
Fussenegger emphasized that the device is not intended to replace healthy nutrition, physical activity or preventive medicine in the treatment of diabetes or obesity.
“Obesity and type 2 diabetes are complex conditions that involve more than just elevated blood sugar levels,” he said. “We see this as a potentially powerful addition to the therapeutic toolbox, and one that could ultimately be combined with established treatments and lifestyle interventions.”
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice.
Mighty, D., Ray, P. G., Buchmann, P., Hamri, G. C., and Hussenegger, M. (2026). Wireless electrocatalytic closed-loop system for drug-free diabetes management. Science, 394(6822), eady8560.
Source: www.livescience.com