A short history of peptide drugs: 1922 to today
Updated October 29, 2026. Based on a 2025 review paper, cited below.
Quick take
peptides are not a new fad.
- The first major peptide therapy is over a century old, and nearly 100 peptide drugs are now approved worldwide.
The timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1922 | Insulin, extracted from animals, is used to treat type 1 diabetes. The first major peptide therapy. |
| 1950s | Oxytocin and vasopressin are synthesized, and solid phase peptide synthesis arrives, making larger scale production possible. |
| 1989 | Goserelin is approved for cancer. |
| 2003 | Enfuvirtide is approved for HIV. |
| 2019 | Oral semaglutide is approved for type 2 diabetes. |
| Nov 2023 | Tirzepatide arrives for weight management and blood sugar control. |
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The numbers behind the boom
- Nearly 100 peptide drugs are approved worldwide, and more than 60 were approved in the past two decades.
- 38 peptide drugs were in phase III trials, per the review.
- The review projects the market at $68.83 billion by 2028, up from $41.44 billion in 2023.
- Metabolic drugs held 37.8% of the market in 2023.
Where the field is heading
Injection is still the most common route, and oral versions are a major research goal. Cancer overtook type 2 diabetes as the most frequent research keyword in 2020 to 2024.
The takeaway. Approved peptide drugs went through years of trials. That is the gap between them and a product sold under a research label.
See also: the two drug race and what research use only means.
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Common questions
What was the first peptide drug?
Insulin, first used to treat type 1 diabetes in 1922.
How many peptide drugs are approved?
Nearly 100 worldwide, per a 2025 review.
Are peptides new?
No. Peptide therapy is over a century old.
Sources
Summarised in my own words. Read the originals for the full detail.