Question

Why does the insulin produced by Eli Lilly Company not need to undergo any processing? Explain.

Answer 1

• Eli Lilly uses biotechnology to produce recombinant human insulin. Biotechnology involves genetically modifying bacteria or yeast to produce insulin.
• This insulin is already in its active form, meaning it is identical to human insulin and does not require the processing steps (like removing the C-peptide) that naturally occur in the human body. This makes it ready for use without further modification.