In 2015, insulin was within the top 10 best-selling medications globally (in terms of number of prescriptions and sales value).4 5 It is estimated that globally ~100 million people need insulin.6 Type 2 diabetes treatment involves lifestyle change encouragement, but antidiabetic medicines are often required for the control of hyperglycaemia and prevention of long-term complications.1 7 8 Oral antidiabetic sale in 2016 was estimated to reach close to US$20 billion.9 There has also been a surge in innovative expensive oral therapies such as gliptins. Here, INS is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.