Diabetes is an imperfection in the body's insulin production and/or action. There are two kinds of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Previously called juvenile-onset diabetes, Type 1 includes up to 10 percent of all cases. Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes, accounts for over 90 percent of all cases. According to the American Diabetes Association, roughly 20.8 million children and adults have diabetes, a number that equals about 7 percent of the population. Of those who have the condition, around 28 percent take insulin to offset the defect.

Currently, some of the Type 2 diabetics take medication to enhance their body's limited ability to produce insulin. In many cases, their body's ability to produce insulin deteriorates over time. Many of them may eventually need to inject insulin. A major difference between the medication available today and what Oramed's oral insulin is expected to do is that Oramed hopes to limit the further deterioration of the body's ability to produce insulin, minimizing the need to inject insulin in the future.

At some point, the insulin pill may be able to help Type 1 diabetics and, in some cases, may even be utilized instead of the injection. Over the last decade or so, cases of Type 2 diabetes have been on the rise, with medical experts seeing marked increases in the number of children with the condition. This is believed to coincide with the obesity epidemic, as Type 2 diabetes is often related to obesity and lack of physical activity.