Needle prick, be gone. Development-stage Emisphere Technologies is offering an alternative to traditional injection of certain drugs with an oral drug delivery technology called eligen, which is designed to improve the way certain therapeutic molecules (such as proteins, carbohydrates, and peptides) are administered to and absorbed by the body. With collaborative partners, including Novartis, Roche, and Genta, Emisphere is developing oral formulations that incorporate eligen to deliver drugs that treat such health problems as osteoporosis, diabetes, growth disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Emisphere was formed in 1986.