Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has received US regulatory approval for Icotyde (icotrokinra), a first-in-class oral peptide drug targeting the IL-23 receptor for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in patients aged 12 and above. The drug, developed in collaboration with Protagonist Therapeutics, is administered as a once-daily tablet. This approval represents a significant technical achievement in oral peptide delivery, a field historically challenged by degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, and expands the application of oral peptides into autoimmune diseases.

The oral peptide therapeutics landscape is rapidly evolving, with key advances also occurring in metabolic diseases. Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide for weight management and MSD's oral PCSK9 inhibitor, enlicitide, are notable examples. The growth of this sector is creating new opportunities across the pharmaceutical supply chain. Major CDMOs like WuXi AppTec and Pharmaron are expanding capacities to meet demand, while specialised manufacturers like Kingchem are supplying critical excipients like SNAC, which enables oral absorption.

PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database shows that icotrokinra is the only project that remains active from a bundle of three assets that J&J licensed from Protagonist in 2019, when icotrokinra was in preclinical stage. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.