Exenatide

Preclinical studies demonstrate measurable systemic semaglutide exposure following oral administration; granted claims cover semaglutide and multiple GLP-1 receptor agonists. PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BioLife today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted U.S. Patent 12,667,605 B2 for its novel effervescent oral peptide delivery technology, designed to support current and future peptide therapeutics for obesity, diabetes and metabolic disease. The announcement comes as demand for GLP-1 medicines continues to accelerate. GLP-1 therapies generated approximately $132 billion in global sales in 2025, while obesity medicines now represent an estimated $42 billion market. 1 As more patients seek alternatives to injections, demand for alternative oral treatments continues to grow. First generation oral GLP-1 medicines have demonstrated the value of oral administration while also underscoring on the fundamental challenges in peptide drug development: protecting large peptide molecules as they move through the gastrointestinal tract. BioLife’s unique technology was developed to explore what comes next. Built on more than 35 years of pharmaceutical effervescence expertise, this novel approach to oral peptide delivery uses a dissolvable effervescent tablet format that creates a first-of-its-kind gastric buffer designed to help protect peptide therapeutics through the digestive system and support their absorption. "GLP-1 medicines have changed how obesity and metabolic disease are treated, but we still need better oral options," said Dr. Farid Bennis, Founder of BioLife and inventor of the technology known internally as OralMatrix. "This patent represents much more than protection for a formulation. It reflects decades of scientific work focused on addressing on the most important challenges in peptide medicine: helping these molecules pass through the digestive system intact, for today’s therapies and for future generations of peptide therapeutics." The technology takes a different approach to oral peptide drug delivery. Rather than relying on special coatings or absorption-enhancing ingredients, it uses a dissolvable effervescent format designed to help protect peptide medicines as they move through the digestive system. Preclinical studies have demonstrated measurable systemic semaglutide exposure following oral administration, providing in vivo proof of concept for the approach. The granted U.S. claims extend across the GLP-1 class, including semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, albiglutide, exenatide and lixisenatide. Patent protection runs into 2042 with additional patent applications pending internationally. Oral peptide drug delivery remains an important area of innovation as pharmaceutical companies evaluate increasingly sophisticated therapies for obesity, diabetes and metabolic disease. The opportunity extends beyond today's GLP-1 medicines and toward future generations of peptide therapeutics. About the Technology BioLife’s patented effervescent peptide delivery technology uses a dissolvable tablet format designed to support oral delivery of peptide medicines, including GLP-1 therapies. Preclinical studies have demonstrated measurable systemic semaglutide exposure following oral administration. The development programme builds on nearly 20 years of research, including human clinical studies with oral insulin formulations and collaborations with Charles River Laboratories, SGS, Eurofins/Amatsi and Cephac. The technology is in development and is not approved for the treatment of any disease. About Dr. Farid Bennis Dr. Farid Bennis, eminent expert in effervescence research and technology is the founder of BioLife, named inventor on U.S. Patent No. 12,667,605 B2, and Chairman of the pharmaceutical company Laprophan Group, established in 1949 and present in more than 40 countries. Over more than 35 years, Dr Bennis has developed pharmaceutical effervescence technologies across multiple therapeutic areas, resulting in numerous patented inventions and commercialized healthcare products. The technology reflects nearly two decades of work devoted to oral peptide delivery. About BioLife BioLife develops oral delivery technologies for peptide medicines, combining expertise in pharmaceutical effervescence, formulation science and oral peptide research. The company's technology portfolio and related patent estate have been independently developed and are wholly owned. Sources 1 Managed Healthcare Executive, "GLP-1 Drugs to Drive Growth in Obesity and Diabetes Treatment," reporting IQVIA market data presented at AMCP Annual 2026. Available at: Contacts Media & Partner Enquiries US: Peter Opitz 608-712-9614 Europe: Misha Talheth-Fells +447548907984 Business & Licensing: Paul Sagan 617-852-0495 LaVoie Strategic Communications Group, Inc. biolife@lavoiegroup.com

California-based medtech firm Vivani Medical (Nasdaq: VANI) has signed an agreement with Novo Nordisk granting the Danish company access to evaluate NPM-139, a miniature subcutaneous semaglutide implant designed for once- or twice-yearly dosing in chronic weight management. The deal carries no financial terms and includes no exclusivity provisions — Vivani retains full freedom to approach other partners with the same asset and platform. The agreement arrives days after Vivani received ethics committee approval in Australia to initiate SLIM-1, a Phase I first-in-human study of NPM-139 with Wegovy injections as an active comparator. That trial will characterize safety, pharmacokinetics, and tolerability of the implant, with top-line results expected by year-end 2026. NPM-139 uses Vivani’s NanoPortal platform to deliver semaglutide — the active molecule in Novo Nordisk’s own Wegovy and Ozempic — as a controlled-release subdermal depot over an extended period. The platform’s clinical proof-of-concept was established through LIBERATE-1, a Phase I study of NPM-115, an exenatide-based implant, which completed enrollment and reported encouraging results in 2025. NPM-139 is the semaglutide-specific successor. Deal context The structure is more akin to a material transfer or feasibility agreement than a licensing deal. Novo Nordisk is being permitted to conduct an internal, non-exclusive evaluation — no upfront payment, milestones, royalties, or equity are involved. The explicit disclosure that there are no exclusivity provisions is unusual in a deal with the originator of the molecule being implanted: Novo Nordisk is accepting a non-exclusive position on a delivery system built around its own drug. The evaluation agreement was signed concurrent with Vivani’s Phase I initiation, suggesting Novo Nordisk wants to assess the technology before human data exist — positioning itself to negotiate a formal option or license once SLIM-1 results are available, at which point the asset’s price would be higher. Industry and transaction context Novo Nordisk has struck several GLP-1 delivery platform transactions recently. In February 2026, the Danish firm signed a deal with Vivtex for an oral biologics delivery platform worth up to USD 2.1 billion. In March 2025, the company paid USD 200 million upfront and up to USD 1.8 billion in milestones for rights to UBT251, a GLP-1/GIP/glucagon triple agonist from The United Laboratories. The Vivani deal sits structurally below both: it is a zero-upfront, pre-Phase I evaluation with no committed capital. Implant-based GLP-1 delivery remains a niche modality. No other company has disclosed a GLP-1 implant in human clinical trials. The dominant deal flow in obesity has concentrated in oral formulations and new molecular entities. The Vivani agreement signals that at least one major GLP-1 franchise holder is monitoring the implant space before committing capital to it. For Vivani — a small-cap company that has raised approximately USD 30 million over the past twelve months and projects cash runway through the first half of 2027 — the deal’s value is primarily as a validation signal for attracting additional partners and investors, not as a near-term revenue event. This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed and edited by the AllSci editorial team Explore more at AllSci News: https://allsci.com/news/ Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * Email * Website Copyright © 2026. AllSci Corp. All rights reserved.