BioMed X, a biomedical research institute based in Heidelberg, announced on Tuesday that it has entered into a new collaboration agreement with Novo Nordisk to work on the effective oral administration of peptides, which include the well-known GLP-1 drugs for obesity developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company.

A research team will be formed and hosted at the BioMed X campus in Heidelberg as part of this project, called "Prolonged Retention of Oral Peptide Formulations in the Gut," aiming to develop new technologies for the prolonged and targeted retention of tablets or capsules in the lower part of the small intestine.

Despite significant advances in research, conventional oral peptide formulations remain limited by low intestinal permeability and rapid gastrointestinal transit, making it urgent, the partners say, to discover new innovative technologies that ensure prolonged retention of the drug in the distal small intestine.

BioMed X states that researchers wishing to participate in this program are invited to submit their applications via the recruitment section of its website by October 12, 2025.