The Oral Peptide Revolution | Ep. 683

From Insulin to 2025 and Beyond

Hello Avatar! Welcome back for another week of biotech analysis. Today is Sunday, which means this is our Building Biotech newsletter that is focused on discussing biopharma strategy topics. In today’s discussion, we dive into the next frontier of peptide therapeutics, and specifically - oral delivery. Once confined to injections, peptides are now being engineered to survive the GI tract and reach systemic targets. We’ll trace their evolution, highlight key technologies enabling this shift, and explore where the biggest clinical and commercial opportunities lie. We’ll also draw a clear line between FDA-approved drugs and unregulated supplements - a distinction that matters for both safety and investment.

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Enough shilling for the day, lots to cover this week, let's get started!

Introduction

A century ago, peptides changed the world with insulin. Today, they’re poised to do it again, but this time, with a pill.

For decades, peptide drugs were limited by a simple, stubborn fact: they couldn’t survive the gut. But now, thanks to new chemistry and delivery tricks, oral peptides are breaking through, bringing targeted, safe, and programmable therapeutics into diseases once ruled by injectables.

Today, we explore how far peptides have come, what makes oral delivery so hard, and which companies are racing to dominate the next frontier. Whether you're a scientist, an investor, or just peptide-curious—this is a story you’ll want to follow.