I don't mind high sugars as much as I loathe lows. Personally I'm not so ruffled by shots either (but my liver begs to differ). However, in a message posted on The Islet Foundation, Pfizer reported that insulin-dependent diabetics declared they most hate taking shots. Was this the warm-up for the Exubera campaign? Here's a fact I support! A close second to this hatred is the hypos. Any diabetic will confess -- hypos are unforgiving. So what if you could catch two birds with one capsule?

I must reiterate the scientific genius behind the Oramed gel caps. The encapsulated insulin bypasses destruction in the stomach cavity. It reaches an entry point in the intestines where it reports for duty to the liver. This allows the liver to resume command of the glucose metabolism, just like Mother Nature intended. Whey you inject insulin - you are overriding the livers ability to monitor blood sugar and putting yourself in the line of fire for the dangerous lows. We all know this state of derangement too well. You won't find my lows picture on a milk carton if I happen to lose it, either.

Frequent episodes of hypoglycemia (even mild ones) force the brain to become accustomed to the low glucose. Unfortunately this also causes suppressed signaling of adrenaline, the livers last resort before dangerous lows. More specifically, the glucose transporters located in the brain cells are damaged from frequent episodes of hypoglycemia. So what was once the hypo threshold for the brain to signal adrenalin release becomes lower. Clinically, the result is hypoglycemic unawareness. Down with the shots, down with the lows and big ups with the future of diabetes control! Now we're getting somewhere.

Oramed is developing a soft gel insulin capsule for the treatment of diabetes. The company has recently announced it the successful completion of its clinical trial demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the oral insulin gel capsule.

The pills were shown to reduce blood sugar, with no significant adverse effects. The insulin used in the gel caps is a generic brand of human insulin. The duration of the insulin is similar to Regular. But the most beautiful thing about these gel caps is that they reintroduce the liver into glucose metabolism, thereby reducing the likelihood of dangerous lows associated with injected insulin and oral medications. This could blow away the necessity of blood sugar testing because you are regulating glucose metabolism in the liver, like a person without diabetes.

Up until now, the idea of insulin pills or tablets was inconceivable due to the fact that insulin, when swallowed, breaks down in the digestive system. Oramed's patented technology overcame the problem of digestion as well as permeability to the intestine. The company's goal is for the completion of formal Phase 1 studies in the US by mid-2008. Sign me up!

There's a story running on CNN Money about the progress of Oramed Pharmaceuticals' insulin capsule, which is currently under development. The capsule, taken orally, could provide a more convenient way for diabetics to get insulin than through shots. And popping a gel cap would, needless to say, also be more convenient than toting and blowing on one of those big old clunky Exubera inhalers.

In the quest to get its product to market, Oramed needs cash, and lots of it. Answering the call, a combination of private investors are putting up more than two million dollars in financing for the Israel-based company.

It's hoped the money will help to propel the insulin capsule through completion of Phase 1 (drug safety) trials by the middle of next year. Said Oramed CEO Nadav Kidron, "This investment marks a milestone for Oramed's stability, allowing the company to fully focus on its research and development efforts and complete its phase 1 product trials."

Stay tuned.

Much effort and research has been invested in finding an alternative, less painful way, to treat patients with diabetes. For years, the only method patients had to deliver insulin was by injection. However, a team of scientists discovered a technology that has the potential to revolutionize this old school way of thinking. What if I told you a company is developing an orally ingestible soft gel insulin capsule? Naysayers, allow me to introduce you to my latest find: Oramed.

Up until now, the idea of insulin in a pill was inconceivable due to the fact that insulin, which is a protein, breaks down in the digestive system. However, Oramed's patented technology overcame the problem of digestion as well as permeability to the intestine with a few organic whistles and bells. This has been a major hurdle that has inhibited the development of orally ingestible insulin for decades. Prof. Hanoch Bar-On, a leading Diabetologist, states that the route of the insulin from the swallowed pill "imitates nature" in that it passes to the liver and then to the bloodstream. Injected insulin goes straight to the bloodstream.

Oramed Pharmaceuticals' is an Israeli based company. They received the green light from the Israeli Ministry of Health, as well as the Hadassah Medical Center Institutional Review Board for phase 1 clinical trials of oral insulin in healthy humans. Here's the million dollar question for card-carrying US citizens with type 2 diabetes taking insulin injections: if you could downshift to an easier to swallow means of managing your diabetes, would you?