Patent ID: 7601688

Claim:
A method for reducing hypoglycemic episodes experienced by a human subject in need of treatment for diabetes mellitus and having a tendency toward hypoglycemic episodes, said method comprising: orally administering an amount of an insulin polypeptide-oligomer conjugate to the human subject, wherein the insulin polypeptide-oligomer conjugate comprises an insulin polypeptide and an oligomer, wherein the oligomer comprises a hydrophilic moiety and a lipophilic moiety, wherein the insulin polypeptide-oligomer conjugate is a mono-conjugate, wherein the oligomer is coupled to an amino functionality of insulin at Lys B-29 , and wherein the amount of the insulin polypeptide-oligomer conjugate orally administered to the subject maintains the subject's blood glucose level between 80 mg/dl and 250 mg/dl and reduces the number and/or severity of hypoglycemic episodes experienced by the human subject during a given time period when compared with the number and/or severity of hypoglycemic episodes that would have been experienced during a similar time period by the human subject parenterally administered insulin or an insulin analog in an amount that provides a substantially equivalent level of glycemic control.