Targeted Nanocarriers for Insulin and Incretin Delivery: Overcoming Barriers in Type 2 Diabetes Management

Mugisha Emmanuel K.

Faculty of Science and Technology Kampala International University Uganda

                                                                                        ABSTRACT
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is driven by insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction, and impaired incretin biology. While subcutaneous insulin and incretin-based therapies have transformed glycemic care, real-world effectiveness is limited by hypoglycemia, gastrointestinal side effects, variable absorption, and adherence barriers related to injection burden. Targeted nanocarriers offer a strategy to enhance therapeutic index by improving stability, depot residence, and tissue-selective delivery of peptide hormones. Nanoparticles can shield insulin and incretin mimetics from enzymatic degradation, traverse mucosal barriers, exploit lymphatic transport, and release cargo in response to stimuli such as glucose, pH, enzymes, or redox gradients. Ligand-directed systems further bias biodistribution toward hepatocytes, adipose, or muscle to better recapitulate physiologic insulin gradients, while depot-forming formulations can provide steady exposure with reduced peak–trough fluctuation. This review surveys the biological and biophysical barriers that shape hormone delivery; design rules for lipid, polymer, and hybrid nanocarriers; advances in oral, pulmonary, transdermal, and intraperitoneal routes; and smart glucoseresponsive platforms enabling closed-loop–like control. We discuss safety, manufacturing, and regulatory considerations, and outline clinically pragmatic trial designs that integrate pharmacokinetics with continuous
glucose monitoring and hypoglycemia endpoints. By aligning material science with endocrine physiology, targeted nanocarriers can make insulin and incretin therapy safer, more precise, and easier to live with.

Keywords: insulin delivery; GLP-1; GIP; nanomedicine; oral peptides; targeted nanoparticles; glucoseresponsive systems; lymphatic transport; hepatic targeting; type 2 diabetes.

CITE AS: Mugisha Emmanuel K. (2026). Targeted Nanocarriers for Insulin and Incretin Delivery: Overcoming Barriers in Type 2 Diabetes Management. Research Output Journal of Biological and Applied Science 6(1):11-18. https://doi.org/10.59298/ROJBAS/2026/611118