New Dosage Form of Insulin: Review Article

Many patients with advanced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and all patients with T1DM require insulin to keep blood glucose levels in the target range. The most common route of insulin administration is subcutaneous insulin injections. There are many ways to deliver insulin subcutaneously, such as vials and syringes, insulin pens, and insulin pumps. Though subcutaneous insulin delivery is the standard route of insulin administration, it is associated with injection pain, needle phobia, lipodystrophy, noncompliance, and peripheral hyperinsulinemia. Therefore, the need exists to deliver insulin in a minimally invasive or noninvasive way and in the most physiological way. Inhaled insulin was the first approved noninvasive and alternative way to deliver glucose, but it has been withdrawn from the market. Researchers are exploring technologies to enable noninvasive insulin delivery. Some of the routes for insulin administration that are under investigation are oral, buccal, nasal, peritoneal, and transdermal. This article has focused on different possible routes of insulin administration, their advantages and limitations, and the possible scope of the new drug development.