InstaRelease® delivery
How does a peptide strip work?
An InstaMed strip is a thin film that dissolves against the lining of your mouth. That lining is thin and dense with small blood vessels, so actives can pass through it into circulation without going through the stomach first.
Illustration of the strip format
Mouth to body
Why go through the mouth?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids. Swallow one in a capsule and stomach acid and gut enzymes start taking it apart, and what survives passes through the liver before it reaches the rest of the body. That is the reason most peptides have been sold as injections.
The mouth offers a third route. Under a thin surface layer, the inner cheek, the roof of the mouth and the area under the tongue hold a dense network of capillaries. A compound absorbed there enters the bloodstream directly. Some medicines have been given this way for decades.
InstaRelease is InstaMed's name for the film that makes this practical: a matrix that sticks to the lining, dissolves on its own and holds the actives in place while it does.
Where it goes
Three places a strip can sit.
All three are lined with the same kind of thin, blood-rich tissue. Pick whichever is comfortable.
01
Roof of the mouth
The default on the box. Put the strip on your tongue and press it up against the palate. It stays put while it dissolves.
02
Inner cheek
Tuck it between cheek and gum. This is the buccal route.
03
Under the tongue
The sublingual route. Hold still and let it melt.
Whichever you choose: do not chew, do not swallow it whole, and wait 10 to 15 minutes before eating or drinking. Strips work best one to two hours away from food.
Strip, needle or capsule
How do strips compare with injections?
No format is right for everyone. This is the practical difference.
| Factor | InstaRelease strip | Injection | Capsule or powder |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you take it | Dissolves in the mouth | Subcutaneous or IV needle | Swallowed with water |
| Route into the body | Through the mouth lining | Direct to tissue or vein | Stomach, then liver |
| Storage | Room temperature | Usually refrigerated | Room temperature |
| Preparation | None. Pre-dosed sachet | Mixing, syringes, sharps disposal | None |
| Where you can take it | Anywhere, no water | At home or in a clinic | Anywhere, with water |
| What peptides face | Skips the digestive tract | Skips the digestive tract | Stomach acid and gut enzymes |
How much of any peptide is absorbed depends on the molecule and the person. InstaMed is running pharmacokinetic studies on the strip format. See the science page for what is and is not yet known.
The old routine
IV drips and vials
- A needle every time
- 30 to 60 minutes in a chair for an infusion
- Clinic appointments and clinic fees
- Vials that live in the fridge
The strip routine
A sachet in your pocket
- No needle
- Dissolves on its own, no water
- Taken wherever you are
- Stored at room temperature
Straight answers
What is known, and what is still being measured.
Known: absorption through the mouth lining is an established route that avoids the digestive tract and first-pass liver metabolism.
Being measured: exactly how much of each peptide reaches the bloodstream from a strip. InstaMed reports pharmacokinetic studies with a pharmaceutical development partner and a collaboration with researchers at the University of Massachusetts tracking blood plasma levels after dosing.
Our position: we will publish the numbers when InstaMed releases them. Until then you will not see an absorption percentage on this site.
Made in Utah
How are the strips made and tested?
InstaMed makes the strips in its own facility. EvolveMe sells them.
- Facility
- NSF-certified cGMP, United States. Cleanroom environment.
- Per batch
- Third-party certificate of analysis.
- Testing
- Stability, microbial screening, potency verification.
- Shelf life
- 24 months at room temperature.
What else is in a strip
- Pullulan A polysaccharide that forms the film itself.
- β-cyclodextrin A ring-shaped sugar used to help absorption.
- Vegetable glycerin Helps the strip stick to the mouth lining.
- Xanthan and arabic gum Keep the strip soft and flexible.
- Citric acid From natural fermentation. Prompts saliva so the film dissolves.
- Sunflower lecithin An emulsifier that binds the actives into the film.
- Stevia, natural flavors and colors So you will actually take it every day.
Science questions
Asked by people who read the label.
Why a strip instead of an injection or a capsule?
A capsule goes through the stomach and liver before anything reaches the bloodstream, and peptides break down in the gut. An injection skips that but needs needles, mixing and usually a fridge. A strip releases through the lining of the mouth, which is the same reason some medicines are given under the tongue. It is also the format people keep taking, and a dose you skip does nothing.
Is delivery through the mouth an established route?
Yes. The lining of the mouth has a dense network of small blood vessels just under a thin surface layer. Compounds absorbed there enter circulation without passing through the digestive tract or first-pass liver metabolism. How much of any one peptide is absorbed this way varies by molecule.
What research is InstaMed doing?
InstaMed reports two programs: pharmacokinetic studies with a pharmaceutical development partner to measure onset, absorption rate and bioavailability from the strip, and a collaboration with researchers at the University of Massachusetts tracking blood plasma levels after dosing.
Who is behind the formulation?
InstaMed's science team is led by Dr. Tracy Gibbs, PhD, a pharmacognosist with more than 32 years in oral and mucosal delivery systems, supported by an advisory board of board-certified physicians.
Where are the strips made?
In the United States, at InstaMed's NSF-certified cGMP facility in Utah. Strips go through stability testing, microbial screening and potency verification, and InstaMed states that every batch has a third-party certificate of analysis.
What else is in a strip?
The film is pullulan, a polysaccharide. β-cyclodextrin helps absorption. Vegetable glycerin helps the strip stick to the mouth lining. Xanthan and arabic gum keep it soft, citric acid prompts saliva to dissolve it, sunflower lecithin binds the actives, and stevia with natural flavors and colors makes it pleasant. The newer boxes are labelled sugar-free, dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO.
Read enough. Pick a strip.
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.