Insulin is a hormone produced naturally by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. It is also used as a treatment for diabetes when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin is not effective. There are two main methods for producing insulin commercially - through genetically engineered E. coli bacteria by Eli Lilly and through yeast by Nova Nordisk. The processes involve extracting insulin from animal sources or producing it recombinantly and then purifying it through various filtration and crystallization steps to isolate the insulin.