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Shares in diabetes researcher Dia-B Tech Ltd have surged nearly 70 per cent after the company revealed a new discovery that may reduce blood sugar levels for diabetics.

Dia-B has lodged a provisional patent for the mechanism that uses naturally-occurring insulin to lower blood sugar levels quickly.

"What we have discovered is a natural solution to the rapid dispersal of insulin," Dia-B chief executive Ken Smith said.

"We think it's a major discovery for us."

At 1443 AEDT, Dia-B shares were up 5.2 cents, or 66.67 per cent, at 13 cents. This followed an earlier intra-day high of 15.5 cents.

Mr Smith said the company could not reveal any more details about the treatment until it had been through the full patent process.

"In 12 months time, in theory, the world will find out what our discovery is," he said.

He said the treatment had been tested on animals, but he declined to say what testing would follow.

Dia-B listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in January following a $6 million initial public offer (IPO) to fund research projects into the prevention and treatment of Type Two diabetes.

An estimated one million people in Australia suffer from diabetes, which is expected to affect more than 320 million around the world by 2025.

Love the bit about what we have discovered