Peptide News Digest

STAT: GLP-1 Pioneers Propose Dropping GLP-1 Target, ESCMID Global Opens in Munich, Circle Pharma at AACR 2026, Scientific American on Peptide Craze

GLP-1 pioneers DiMarchi/Tschöp propose non-GLP-1 obesity approach; ESCMID Global opens in Munich; Circle Pharma macrocyclic peptide data at AACR; Scientific American on the peptide craze.

10 stories · Covering research, regulatory, clinical-trials, industry

Editor's Note

Today's digest is bookended by two major conferences: ESCMID Global 2026 opens in Munich with 18,000 attendees focused on antimicrobial resistance, while AACR 2026 in San Diego enters its first full session day with peptide-based oncology taking center stage. The most provocative story comes from STAT News, where GLP-1 pioneers Richard DiMarchi and Matthias Tschöp — the very scientists whose work enabled Zepbound and related drugs — now argue the field should drop GLP-1 as a target entirely, publishing data suggesting GIP/glucagon-only agonists could match GLP-1 weight loss without the tolerability issues. Circle Pharma's macrocyclic peptide cyclin A/B RxL inhibitor debuts in a coveted Chemistry-to-the-Clinic session Saturday, while Oncopeptides unveils preclinical data on an affibody-derived NK-cell engager and Longhorn Vaccines presents DRG5-BD11, a bispecific IgM antibody targeting bacterial peptidoglycan. On the consumer side, Scientific American publishes a deep dive on the wellness peptide craze, and PharmaTher files a provisional patent for microneedle delivery of BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500, and KPV — positioning itself for the July PCAC reclassification. A new Omada Health study demonstrates that structured behavioral programs can double the fat loss of GLP-1 therapy while preserving muscle — a direct counter to the muscle-loss concerns that have dominated recent coverage.

STAT News: GLP-1 Pioneers DiMarchi and Tschöp Propose Dropping GLP-1 as a Drug Target for Obesity

Richard DiMarchi and Matthias Tschöp — whose work enabled Eli Lilly's Zepbound and the modern GLP-1 class — published a peer-reviewed draft paper arguing that targeting GIP and glucagon receptors alone, without GLP-1, may deliver comparable weight loss without the nausea and vomiting that plague current therapies. The experimental molecule, backed by BlueWater Biosciences, challenges the central dogma of obesity drug design. Results are preclinical and must still translate to humans.

Omada Health: 12-Week GLP-1 Care Track Delivers 2.1x More Fat Loss While Preserving Muscle Mass

Omada Health published results from a 12-week study of 245 adults with obesity comparing its GLP-1 Care Track behavioral program (151 members) to a control group (94). Omada members lost 1.8x more total weight (6.0% vs 3.3% of starting weight), 2.1x more body fat, and saw increased muscle mass percentage and improved mental health scores. The finding directly addresses sarcopenia concerns highlighted in recent NPR coverage of GLP-1 discontinuation.

Scientific American: "The Science Behind the Peptide Craze" Warns of Gap Between Hype and Evidence

Scientific American published a comprehensive April 18 feature examining the self-injection wellness peptide movement, focusing on BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu, KPV, and ipamorelin. The piece notes that only three small pilot studies have looked at BPC-157 in humans, that most evidence is from rodent models, and that consumers are ordering the compounds from overseas — usually from China — while the FDA prepares to review the category at its July advisory panel.

Circle Pharma's Macrocyclic Peptide Cyclin A/B RxL Inhibitor Data to Debut at AACR 2026 Saturday Session

Circle Pharma presents "Orally Bioavailable Peptide Macrocycles Disrupting Intracellular Protein-Protein Interactions: Selective Inhibitors of the RxL-binding Site of Cyclin Family Proteins" at AACR's Chemistry to the Clinic Part 3 session on Saturday, April 18, 12:30-2:00 p.m. PST. The presentation covers CID-078, an orally bioavailable macrocycle with dual activity blocking cyclin A/B protein-protein interactions, selectively targeting tumor cells with RB1 alterations.

PharmaTher Files Provisional Patent for Microneedle Patch Delivery of BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500, and KPV

PharmaTher Holdings filed a U.S. provisional patent on April 13 for stabilized peptide compositions delivered via its PharmaPatch microneedle platform, covering formulations for BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500, KPV, and multi-peptide combinations. The April 16 announcement positions PharmaTher to capture needle-free delivery share if the FDA's July PCAC meeting moves peptides back to Category 1. Three of the four compounds are on the July agenda.

ESCMID Global 2026 Opens in Munich with 18,000 Attendees and AMR in the Spotlight

The European Society of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global 2026 opened today at Messe München, running April 17-21 with ~18,000 international participants. Antimicrobial resistance dominates the agenda, with presentations featuring novel antimicrobial peptides, peptide-antibody hybrids, and AI-driven AMP discovery platforms. ESCMID is the largest international clinical microbiology and infectious diseases conference worldwide.

Oncopeptides SPiKE Platform: Affibody-Derived NK-Cell Engager Preclinical Data for Multiple Myeloma at AACR 2026

Oncopeptides AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: ONCO) will present preclinical data on its SPiKE platform at AACR 2026, showing synergistic effects when combining an affibody-derived bispecific engager with expanded adaptive NK cells (ADAPT-NK) in a humanized multiple myeloma mouse model. The approach leverages peptide-scaffold targeting to direct NK-cell cytotoxicity at malignant plasma cells in difficult-to-treat cancers.

Longhorn Vaccines' DRG5-BD11 Bispecific IgM Targets Bacterial Peptidoglycan at ESCMID 2026

Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics presents preclinical data on DRG5-BD11, a bispecific IgM monoclonal antibody targeting bacterial peptidoglycan and HSP16.3 across gram-positive, gram-negative, and mycobacterial pathogens. In vitro assays demonstrated 82% opsonophagocytic killing against E. coli and 74% against Mycobacterium smegmatis, supporting its potential as a broad-spectrum anti-infective for AMR-driven sepsis.

ApexOnco: AACR 2026 Clinical Trial Plenaries Spotlight Private Peptide Biotechs and Conjugate Therapies

ApexOnco analysis frames AACR 2026 as a breakout moment for private peptide-based biotechs. Circle Pharma (macrocyclic peptides), Bicycle Therapeutics (bicyclic peptide drug conjugates), and SignaBlok (TREM-1 peptide) all landed prominent slots. Antibody-drug and peptide-drug conjugates remain the dominant theme, with conjugate-related abstracts outpacing any other modality in the clinical late-breaker sessions.

CNBC: RFK Jr.'s Peptide Policy Could Reshape Hims & Hers as High-Margin GLP-1 Business Evolves

CNBC analysis frames Hims & Hers Health as the biggest direct-to-consumer beneficiary of the FDA's July PCAC meeting. Hims acquired a California peptide manufacturing facility in 2025 and can convert its GLP-1 compounding infrastructure to peptide production. The stock closed up 11.07% on April 16 after the FDA announcement; Bank of America raised its price target from $21 to $25, citing the platform's conversion potential.