Oral delivery of peptide medicines using a synthetic intestinal lining
Official title: Polymer Epithelial Lining for the Oral Delivery of Macromolecules
Funded at Syntis Bio INC · NIH-11336373 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new technology aims to let peptide drugs be taken by mouth instead of injections, to help people with chronic conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Syntis Bio INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,190,375 |
| NIH project number | 5R44DK138869-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336373 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with chronic conditions who would benefit from peptide therapies and are able to participate in oral-delivery research.
✕Less likely to help
People who require injections for reasons not addressed by oral peptides or have specific GI contraindications may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores an oral delivery approach for macromolecule drugs, focusing on peptides that are typically hard to absorb in the gut. It uses Syntis’s Gastrointestinal Synthetic Epithelial Lining (GSEL) to help the intestine take up these medicines more efficiently. The work includes testing formulations, understanding how they behave in the GI tract, and evaluating safety in preclinical models. If successful, this could reduce the burden of daily injections for people with chronic diseases and improve treatment adherence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could take peptide therapies by mouth, improving comfort and adherence.
How similar studies have gone: Past oral delivery efforts improved absorption with limited impact; this project seeks to overcome major absorption barriers with a novel GI lining approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Syntis Bio INC
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sethuraman, Vasu V — Syntis Bio INC
- Study coordinator: Sethuraman, Vasu V
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.