Mar 25, 2026 05:06 PM
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...024302.htm
EXCERPTS: For more than 100 years, scientists have pursued the idea of insulin in pill form, often described as a "dream" treatment for diabetes. The challenge has been the body itself. Enzymes in the digestive system break down insulin before it can work, and the intestine lacks a natural way to absorb it into the bloodstream. As a result, many patients still depend on daily injections, which can take a toll on their quality of life.
A team at Kumamoto University, led by Associate Professor Shingo Ito, has now developed a promising solution. Their approach uses a cyclic peptide that can pass through the small intestine, known as the DNP peptide. This platform allows insulin to be delivered orally in a way that was not previously possible.
[...] The findings were published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. The researchers are now moving forward with additional studies, including testing in larger animal models and systems that replicate the human intestine, as they work toward eventual clinical applications.... (MORE - missing details)
EXCERPTS: For more than 100 years, scientists have pursued the idea of insulin in pill form, often described as a "dream" treatment for diabetes. The challenge has been the body itself. Enzymes in the digestive system break down insulin before it can work, and the intestine lacks a natural way to absorb it into the bloodstream. As a result, many patients still depend on daily injections, which can take a toll on their quality of life.
A team at Kumamoto University, led by Associate Professor Shingo Ito, has now developed a promising solution. Their approach uses a cyclic peptide that can pass through the small intestine, known as the DNP peptide. This platform allows insulin to be delivered orally in a way that was not previously possible.
[...] The findings were published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. The researchers are now moving forward with additional studies, including testing in larger animal models and systems that replicate the human intestine, as they work toward eventual clinical applications.... (MORE - missing details)
