Timeline of Insulin Development

By Dusk Tierce
  • The First extraction of Insulin

    The First extraction of Insulin

    Frederick G Banting manages to properly extract the first traces of insulin from canine pancreases.
  • The First Purifications of Insulin

    The First Purifications of Insulin

    James B Collip hastily made improvements to the initial extract of insulin, making it more pure and safer to use.
  • The First Human Trial

    The First Human Trial

    Leonard Thompson, a 14 year old boy, is successfully treated with the purified insulin extracts. He lives with T1D for another 13 years.
  • Discovery of a Prolonged Insulin

    Discovery of a Prolonged Insulin

    Christian Hagedorn discovers that insulin's effects can be prolonged with the addition of Protamine.
  • Intermediate Insulin Development

    Intermediate Insulin Development

    Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical, creates an intermediate acting insulin called NPH.
  • Insulin is Fully Sequenced

    Insulin is Fully Sequenced

    Insulin becomes the first protein to be fully sequenced, completed by British biochemist Frederick Sanger. He receives the Nobel Prize in 1958 for his contributions.
  • Protein Synthesis

    Protein Synthesis

    Insulin becomes the very first human protein to be fully Synthesized, making for easier production and distribution.
  • Insulin Production

    Insulin Production

    Insulin is the first human protein to be able to be produced by biochemistry and technology, done by company Greentech.
  • "Human Insulin"

    "Human Insulin"

    Synthetic insulin takes on a new name of "Human Insulin", making it distinct from animal insulin from years back. People have far less allergic reactions to this synthetic, human insulin.
  • The Insulin Pens

    The Insulin Pens

    Novo Nordisk creates the first insulin pen delivery system, making boluses easier and better to keep track of.
  • Insulin Pumps

    Insulin Pumps

    Medtronic releases the MiniMed Insulin Pump, which can give boluses and daily insulin totals. It's fairly large comparatively with not a lot of advanced tech behind it- yet it was still a great invention and product for its time.
  • Analogue Insulin

    Analogue Insulin

    Humalog is the first analogue insulin to be marketed. Analogue insulin is a kind of insulin which has been modified to tamper with the absorption rate and metabolism rate.
  • Islet Cells

    Islet Cells

    More than 470 patients with type one diabetes are treated with an Islet cell transplantation. With immunosuppresant drugs, they are able to live a life with little to no diabetic complications.
  • "Artificial Pancreas"

    "Artificial Pancreas"

    Pairing the technology of a CGM and an Insulin pump, Cambridge University creates an artificial pancreas.
  • "Bridge to a Cure"

    "Bridge to a Cure"

    Created by Dr. Edward Damiano, the iLet is created. The iLet is another form of artificial pancreas, where it will give both insulin and glucose as needed.