ARA-290 (cibinetide)
EPO fragment without the effect on red blood cells
Experimental material. Read before using anything from here.
Nothing on this page is a medical recommendation, prescription or treatment plan. It is an organized translation of protocols circulating in research communities and, where it exists, of what published trials tested. The two are marked differently — and they are not equivalent.
Most of the compounds here have no FDA approval for human use. Several are sold labeled "research use only", which means they have not gone through purity, sterility or dosage controls for human consumption. A community-reported dose is not a validated dose: it is what someone reported having done.
Talk to a licensed health professional before considering any of these compounds. If you already use one and feel anything unexpected, seek care — do not wait for the next routine test.
Summary
Peptide of 11 amino acids built from a stretch of the erythropoietin (EPO) molecule. It was designed to preserve EPO's tissue-repair and anti-inflammatory signaling while removing the part that stimulates red blood cell production. The most consistent research is in small fiber neuropathy.
Quick reference
- What it is
- Innate repair receptor agonist, derived from EPO, with no erythropoietic effect.
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection; early trials also used intravenous.
- Trial doses
- 1–8 mg/day SC in phase 2; 4 mg was the central dose.
- Status
- Not approved; only orphan/fast-track designation. Development halted.
Protocol and dosing schedule
| Study context | Dose & route | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Sarcoidosis pilot (2012) | 2 mg IV | 3x/week, 4 weeks |
| Sarcoidosis SFN (2013) | Daily subQ | 28 days |
| Type 2 diabetes neuropathy (2014) | 4 mg subQ | Daily, 28 days |
| Phase 2b sarcoidosis (2017) | 1, 4, or 8 mg subQ | Daily, 28 days |
| Diabetic macular edema (2020) | 4 mg subQ | Daily, 12 weeks |
Protocol and dosing schedule
| Feature | Commonly reported |
|---|---|
| Typical range | 1-4 mg/day |
| Higher range cited | Up to 8 mg/day (trial ceiling) |
| Frequency | 1×/day |
| Cycle length | About 4 weeks, matching trial blocks |
| Route | Subcutaneous injection |
ARA-290 Reconstitution Guide
| Dose | Volume | U-100 units |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mg | 0.13 mL | ~13 units |
| 2 mg | 0.25 mL | 25 units |
| 4 mg | 0.50 mL | 50 units |
ARA-290 vs BPC-157 and Nearby Peptides
| Peptide | Main research framing | Best human evidence |
|---|---|---|
| ARA-290 | Nerve repair, neuropathic pain, inflammation | Phase 2 RCTs (sarcoidosis, diabetes) |
| BPC-157 | Broad soft-tissue recovery | Mostly preclinical |
| TB-500 | Tissue repair and recovery | Mostly preclinical |
| KPV | Anti-inflammatory fragment | Mostly preclinical |
Storage and handling
The rules below apply to practically every lyophilized peptide in this reference. Where a compound has its own requirement, it appears in the table in the previous section.
- Lyophilized powder, sealed: refrigerator, between 2 and 8 °C, protected from light. Many tolerate room temperature for short transport periods, but that is tolerance, not a recommendation.
- After reconstitution: always refrigerated, between 2 and 8 °C. The stability window drops to days or a few weeks, depending on the compound.
- Never freeze after reconstituting. The freeze–thaw cycle degrades the peptide.
- Do not shake. Swirl the vial slowly. Shaking breaks the peptide chain.
- Bacteriostatic water down the wall of the vial, in a slow stream, not squirted directly onto the powder.
- Cloudy solution, with particles or a color change: discard. There is no recovery.
Lab tests and monitoring
This list is the one that appears recurrently in the source, with small variations by compound. It serves as a starting point for a conversation with a professional — not as a substitute for that conversation.
- Before starting: complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, fasting glucose and HbA1c, TSH and free T4, blood pressure and resting heart rate.
- Depending on the compound: IGF-1 (GH axis), lipase and amylase (VIP and the incretin agonists), serum copper and ceruloplasmin (GHK-Cu and blends containing it), CRP.
- Reassessment: most protocols review between week 4 and week 8, and then every 8–12 weeks.
- Do not wait for the routine lab test in the face of abdominal pain, visual changes, a change in a mole, shortness of breath, asymmetric swelling or any new and persistent symptom. That is a reason to seek care, not a spreadsheet item.
Evidence limits
Data source: peptidedosingprotocols.com, accessed on September 3, 2026. Translation and organization in Portuguese are original work. No primary source (PubMed, trial registry, package insert) was checked in building this page — the check was against the secondary source, and that alone.