I wil always advocate anywhere,that with training that a pharmacists receives on drugs,as far as drugs are concerned,nothing is impossible, who would ever believe that insulin might some day come in tablets..well don't open your mouth it is happening already...... http://mypharmacymydream./2013/12/19/there-could-more-hope-for-daibetics-with-packaging-insulin-into-a-pill-friendly-form-for-diabetes-treatment/

There Could More Hope For
Diabetics With Packaging Insulin
Into A Pill-friendly Form For
Diabetes Treatment
Abstract:
Since insulin’s crucial discovery nearly a century
ago, countless diabetes patients have had to inject
themselves with the life-saving medicine. Now
scientists are reporting a new development toward
a long-sought insulin pill that could save millions
the pain of daily shots. Published in the ACS
journal Biomacromolecules, the advance could
someday not only eliminate the “ouch” factor, but
also get needle-wary — and weary — patients to
take their medicine when they should.
Packaging insulin into a pill-friendly form for dia
insulin therapy. For years, researchers have
sought a way to transform delivery of this therapy
from a shot to a pill, but it has been a challenge.
The body’s digestive enzymes that are so good at
breaking down food also break down insulin before
it can get to work. In addition, insulin doesn’t get
easily absorbed through the gut into the
bloodstream. To overcome these hurdles, Jain’s
team combined two approaches to shield insulin
from the digestive enzymes and then get it into
the blood.
They packaged insulin in tiny sacs made of lipids,
or fats, called liposomes, which are already used in
some treatments. Then, they wrapped the
liposomes in layers of protective molecules called
polyelectrolytes. To help these “layersomes” get
absorbed into the bloodstream, they attached folic
acid, a kind of vitamin B that has been shown to
help transport liposomes across the intestinal wall
into the blood. In rats, the delivery system lowered
blood glucose levels almost as much as injected
insulin, though the effects of the layersomes lasted
longer than that of injected insulin.
The authors acknowledge funding from the
Department of Science & Technology (India) and
the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research,
New Delhi.

Wow! I love this. . . . . Cool to hearing

I used to hear about enteric coating. Just wondering why it didn't work for insulin. Diabetics out there need to see this, tho tmyt not be commercially available yet, its surely a relief.

By the time it(drugs) gets to Nigeria, d price myt increase.

Well nothing is impossible as far as science and technology is concerned, but insulin is administered subcutaneously and absorbed in the body through that route only because of its fragile nature. Even if it enteric coated the potency of the drug will be lost before it gets to the site where it is needed.

What is the plan of coating a drug? Is it not to shield it from Hcl in the stomach? Why is insulin different? #okbye

Not only for stomach acid. But also for conveniency and to sustainably release the active ingredient in drug over time which will not necessitate the need to take a medication over an over again to complete a dosage regime. I am just passing this as another story with no concrete evidence just as we hear different news about cure for HIV everyday with nothing in market.

Why didnt they develop an insulin skin patch instead.