Singapore Medicines: Curing Diabetes

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF) are working towards developing a cure for diabetes.

The signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on research to prevent, treat and cure kidney and kidney-related diseases.


The project aims at introducing a safe virus named “the Lenti virus” carrying the human insulin gene into the liver cells of diabetic animals. If the method turns out to be successful it eventually will be applied to human patients.

Professor Ann Simpson from Australia has succeeded in curing diabetes in rats and mice using a similar virus and gene, but the surgery is extensive.

The NUS team will be working with her and other scientists at Cambridge to find a less invasive way to apply the treatment to humans. The team hopes that, by the end of three years, they will be able to cure diabetes in larger animals, mainly pigs, and find ways to work with human beings at minimal risk.