For a powerful class of drugs known as "biologics," delivering medicine in a pill was an extremely challenging scientific puzzle for almost a century. But our scientists were undaunted.

In the early 2000s, we started our work on oral delivery of biologic medicines. We began exploring different routes of administration, initially focused on insulin and GLP-1. Through dedicated protein and peptide engineering efforts, we managed to create the first ever oral biologic of its kind - oral semaglutide for type 2 diabetes launched in 2019.

It is still the only oral GLP-1 on the market for type 2 diabetes, and in 2025, semaglutide in a pill was approved in the US as first oral GLP-1 for weight management.

Here are three key chapters in the story that reveal some surprising truths about medicines and the human body. 
 

The fundamental challenge in creating an oral biologic medicine is straightforward. The body’s digestive system is incredibly efficient at its job, but it cannot tell the difference between an efficacious, protein-based medicine and a piece of food. Once swallowed, the medicine is treated just like any other protein you might eat.

The problem is one of mistaken identity: Acid and enzymes break down biological medicines the same way they would break down a steak - the body does not discriminate.

This simple analogy is powerful because it perfectly distills a complex scientific barrier into an everyday concept. It clarifies that the problem wasn't a flaw in the medicine, but a fundamental conflict with one of our body's most essential functions.
 

The quest to turn injectable biologics into pills is not a new ambition. In fact, it represents one of modern medicine's oldest and most persistent challenges. Scientists have been attempting to solve this problem since the early 1920s, with some of the first documented efforts focused on creating an oral version of insulin.

For Novo Nordisk, this century-old grudge match was also personal. Our renewed push to develop oral therapies came directly after a high-profile failure more than a decade ago when we attempted to develop an inhaled form of insulin. This history of failures—both recent and distant—underscores the immense magnitude of our recent breakthrough, transforming it from a simple innovation into a story of scientific redemption.
 

The solution we developed required a two-part key to finally unlock the puzzle. The first step was designing an analogue of a biological medicine—a hormone called GLP-1, used in treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity—that was inherently more stable in the harsh environment of the stomach.

The second, and most crucial, step came through a strategic partnership. We combined our drug with a "carrier molecule" called SNAC, provided by our partner Emisphere. SNAC acts as a bodyguard for the GLP-1. It essentially provides the medicine with a temporary invisibility cloak, neutralizing the stomach's defenses just long enough for the precious cargo to be absorbed into the bloodstream. It's a brilliant deception targeting one of the body's most fundamental processes.
 

The journey from a century-old problem to a modern breakthrough is a powerful story of scientific persistence. For Novo Nordisk, this achievement is more than just a win for convenience; it establishes a new platform for developing future medicines that are more accessible to the people who need them.

This innovation fundamentally changes what is possible.