Chinese researchers have developed an experimental oral treatment that uses engineered gut bacteria to detect changes in blood sugar and release a hormone to lower glucose when required, potentially opening a new path for diabetes treatment.

The system, developed by researchers at East China Normal University in Shanghai, is called GIFT and was described in a study published in Nature on August 12.

Using synthetic biology, scientists modified a type of bacteria with a long history of use and safety to function as a temporary “living drug” inside the intestine.

The engineered bacteria are designed to monitor glucose levels and respond by releasing GLP-1, a hormone involved in regulating blood sugar and appetite. This creates an automated feedback system intended to deliver treatment according to the body’s changing glucose levels.

Researchers say the approach could move diabetes management beyond the conventional model of repeatedly taking medicines or receiving injections toward an oral system capable of responding to glucose fluctuations.

The treatment is designed to remain temporarily in the gut rather than requiring transplantation of engineered cells. The researchers said this could reduce some of the safety and immune-related concerns associated with cell-based therapies.

Ye Haifeng, corresponding author of the study and a professor at East China Normal University, said the system combines glucose detection with the release of GLP-1 when needed.

Diabetes affects more than 530 million adults globally, according to the International Diabetes Federation, and the number is expected to exceed 850 million by 2050. China alone has around 120 million people living with diabetes.

The researchers said GIFT represents a new experimental approach to precision blood sugar management. However, the technology is still at the research stage and requires further testing before it could become a widely available diabetes treatment.