1901 – The Term “Peptide” is Born
Hermann Emil Fischer, successfully synthesized the first dipeptide (glycylglycine) and proposed that proteins are made of amino acids linked by amide bonds.

1921 – The Insulin Revolution
Frederick Banting and Charles Best successfully isolated insulin from the pancreas. By 1923, it became the first peptide hormone used therapeutically, turning a previously fatal diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes into a manageable condition.

1953 – The First Synthesis of a Peptide Hormone
Vincent du Vigneaud achieved the first laboratory synthesis of oxytocin (the “bonding hormone”) and vasopressin. This was a massive leap forward, proving that complex natural hormones could be recreated in a lab.

1963 – Merrifield’s Solid-Phase Synthesis
Robert Bruce Merrifield revolutionized the field by developing Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS).

1982 – Recombinant Human Insulin
Moving beyond animal-derived sources, Humulin became the first “biotech” drug. Developed by Genentech and Eli Lilly, it used recombinant DNA technology to produce human insulin in bacteria, significantly reducing allergic reactions in patients.

2005 – The Rise of Incretins (Byetta)
The FDA approved Exenatide, a synthetic version of a peptide found in the saliva of the Gila monster. This marked the beginning of GLP-1 receptor agonists, changing how Type 2 diabetes is treated by mimicking natural gut hormones.

2017–2021 – The GLP-1  Era
The approval of Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and later Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) signaled a historic shift. These peptides demonstrated unprecedented success in treating obesity and metabolic syndrome, becoming some of the most successful drugs in pharmaceutical history.