Croatian researcher’s five-decade quest to uncover BPC-157’s potential draws FDA attention

In 1975 a second‑year medical student at the University of Zagreb heard a lecture on stress and the stomach lining. He imagined the organ produced a natural anti‑stress chemical and set out to find it.

Predrag Sikiric pursued that idea for more than half a century, moving from gastroenterology clinics to international conferences. His work helped define his academic career and attracted interest from global pharmaceutical companies.

The peptide known as BPC‑157, now highlighted by the Make America Healthy Again movement, is currently under FDA review. The story traces its hidden history and the ongoing debate about its therapeutic promise.

The article, co‑published by Undark and supported by the Pulitzer Center, underscores how a single hypothesis can shape decades of research and regulatory attention.