Novo Nordisk is closing the era of pain for the diabetics by starting phase 1 trial with oral insulin.

Taking insulin by injecting needle is frightening for many people. For many diabetic, it is irritating to continue anti-diabetic therapy with daily insertion of insulin syringe. In order to make insulin therapy user-friendly, scientists have been conducting research for long time to make an effective alternative oral insulin therapy.
With a view to keeping their hope alive, Novo Nordisk, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in diabetic care has joined the effort to make oral insulin. The company has already initiated phase 1 clinical trial with oral insulin.
There are many challenges with the development and production of a reliable insulin formulation for oral use. They include avoiding enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, overcoming poor spontaneous insulin permeability over the intestinal wall, limiting variability of absorption (caused, for example, by interaction with food) and producing insulin in sufficient scale cost-effectively.
The trial, which is being conducted in Germany, is designed to investigate the safety, tolerance, pharmacokinetics (exposure of drug) and pharmacodynamics (effect) of proposed oral insulin analogue (named NN1952) in healthy volunteers and people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Results from the trial, which is planned to enroll about 80 people, are expected to be reported in the first half of 2011.
"We still have many challenges to overcome, and it is far too early to say whether or when oral insulin will become an alternative to insulin injections," says Peter Kurtzhals, senior vice president and head of diabetes research at Novo Nordisk. "However, I am encouraged by the progress our research and development teams have made during the past two years, and which has led us to this important milestone", Mr Peter added.