Immunwork, a subsidiary of T-E Pharma founded by world-renowned scientist Dr. Chang Tse-wen, announced a major technological breakthrough for its long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist, TE-8105. The team has successfully developed a sublingual (under-the-tongue) dosage form, recently published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics.

• Clinical Advantages: Sublingual delivery allows the drug to be absorbed directly through the oral mucosa into the systemic circulation. This bypasses gastrointestinal degradation and liver first-pass metabolism, significantly increasing the bioavailability of peptide drugs. For patients, this offers a non-invasive, painless alternative to chronic injections.
• Trial Progress: The subcutaneous version of TE-8105 completed Phase 1/2a trials in Australia in 2025, showing excellent safety and a dosing schedule of once every two weeks. A Phase 2b trial is slated to launch in the second half of 2026.
• Market Positioning: While competitors like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly dominate the injectable market, T-E Pharma’s sublingual platform could disrupt the field by lowering treatment costs and increasing patient compliance. The sublingual efficacy has already been validated in diabetic mouse models, with patent applications filed in early 2024.

Resource: 免疫諦醫完成GLP-1舌下劑型開發 將成全球減重市場利器