Researchers at Kumamoto University have developed a breakthrough technology to deliver insulin orally using a small peptide called DNP peptide that allows insulin to pass through the intestinal wall.[1] For more than a century, oral insulin was considered a "dream" in the treatment of diabetes because it destroyed enzymes in the digestive system and lacked a mechanism to transport insulin in the small intestine.[1] Research team led by associate professor. Shingo Ito tested his platform on mice with various types of diabetes and achieved a pharmacological bioavailability of approximately 33–41% compared to subcutaneous injection.[1] Unlike previous attempts, which required very high doses of insulin (often ten times higher than with injections), this new method significantly reduced the amount of drug needed.[1] Once-daily dosing maintained normal blood sugar levels for three consecutive days.[1] The study was published in the international journal Molecular Pharmaceutics in November 2025, and the research team continues to prepare for clinical trials, including tests in larger animals and human intestinal systems.[1]