Self-Assembling Peptide Gel SPG-178 Seals the Cut Pancreas Better Than Mesh and Fibrin Glue in Rats
University of Osaka surgeons, with co-authors from Japanese medical device maker Menicon, reported in Scientific Reports on October 15, 2026 a rat study of SPG-178, a self-assembling peptide hydrogel, to prevent pancreatic fistula, a leak of pancreatic fluid that often follows pancreas surgery. Three days after the pancreas was cut, fluid amylase, a marker of leakage, averaged 109 IU/L with SPG-178, compared with 283 in untreated rats and 219 with the standard polyglycolic acid mesh and fibrin glue, and the gel group had fewer adhesions and less tissue damage. Human testing has not been reported.