ORAL INSULIN ADMINISTRATION

DIABETES HAS A HUGE MEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC IMPACT. POOR COMPLIANCE WITH PARENTERAL INSULIN ADMINISTRATION IS A MAJOR PROBLEM, BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE END-ORGAN DAMAGE (EYE, BRAIN, AND KIDNEY) ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISEASE. ORAL INSULIN ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE A MORE CONVENIENT METHOD AND LEAD, THEREFORE, TO IMPROVED COMPLIANCE. IN ADDITION, ORALLY ADMINISTERED INSULIN WOULD ENTER THE PORTAL BLOOD, AS DOES INSULIN FROM THE PANCREAS, ENABLING BETTER CONTROL OF ALL ASPECTS OF LIPID, PROTEIN, AND CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM. UNFORTUNATELY, TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS HAVE PREVENTED ORAL ADMINISTRATION FROM BECOMING A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE: (1) INSULIN IS DESTROYED BY PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES, AND (2) EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF DESTRUCTION, INSULIN IS POORLY ABSORBED FROM THE INTESTINAL TRACT. THIS PROJECT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF RECENT ADVANCES TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS AND TO ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFICIENT MEANS OF ORAL ADMINISTRATIONOF INSULIN.