Skip to content
Specimen Atlas of Research Peptides81 plates · MIT
Side-by-side · Research reference

ARA 290vsProstamax

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

APhase 2HUMAN-REVIEWED17/59 cited
BAnimal-MechanisticHUMAN-REVIEWED11/38 cited
ARA 290
EPO-Derived Peptide · Innate Repair Receptor Agonist
28 daysPhase 2 durationCulver 2017
Non-erythropoieticSafety profileBrines 2015Liu 2014
Prostamax
Khavinson Bioregulator · Tissue-Specific Peptide
0.05 ng/mLActive concentrationZakutskiĭ 2006
2.5×SCE frequency increaseDzhokhadze 2012
4 AAPeptide length
SQ · Protocol per Khavinson tradition

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter
ARA 290
Prostamax
Primary target
Innate repair receptor (EPO receptor / CD131 heterodimer)
Chromatin in prostatic cells — pericentromeric heterochromatin regions
Pathway
EPO/CD131 → JAK2 activation → PI3K/AKT, MAPK signaling → anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic cascades
Epigenetic modulation → heterochromatin decondensation → transcriptional derepressionDzhokhadze 2012
Downstream effect
Tissue protection, nerve fiber regeneration, suppression of inflammatory macrophage activation, altered T-cell differentiation (↑Treg, ↑Th2, ↓Th1)Liu 2014Culver 2017
Increased sister chromatid exchange, Ag-NOR activation, reduced C-heterochromatin condensation; tissue-specific regenerative stimulation in prostate organotypic culturesDzhokhadze 2012Zakutskiĭ 2006
Feedback intact?
N/A — does not interact with hematopoietic EPO receptorLiu 2014
Origin
11-amino-acid sequence from EPO helix B, engineered to eliminate hematopoietic activity while retaining tissue-protective properties
Synthetic tetrapeptide modeled on naturally occurring protein-derived bioregulators isolated between lysine-arginine motifs in long-lived speciesKhavinson 2017
Antibody development
Not reported in clinical trials

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter
ARA 290
Prostamax
Standard dose (Phase 2)
4 mg / dayBrines 2015Culver 2017
Sarcoidosis SFN and diabetic neuropathy trials.
Frequency
Once daily
Self-administered subcutaneously.
Duration
28 days (Phase 2)Culver 2017
Corneal nerve improvements observed by day 28.
Not specified
Khavinson protocols typically 10–20 days per cycle; no long-term safety data.
Evidence basis
Phase 2 RCTsCulver 2017Brines 2015
64-subject sarcoidosis trial, type 2 diabetes trial.
Animal / organotypic cultureZakutskiĭ 2006Dzhokhadze 2012
No randomized controlled trials in humans.
Route
SubcutaneousBrines 2015
Timing
Any time of day
No circadian dependence reported.
Effective concentration (in vitro)
0.05 ng/mLZakutskiĭ 2006
Organotypic culture model; demonstrated tissue-specific stimulation.
Human clinical dose
Not established
No published human trials; dosing extrapolated from Russian clinical tradition (not peer-reviewed).
Age groups studied
Young (3-week) and aged (18-month) rats; elderly humans (75–86 years) in vitroZakutskiĭ 2006Dzhokhadze 2012

03Metabolic / Fat Loss Evidence

Parameter
ARA 290
Prostamax
Primary effect
Improved metabolic control (HbA1c, fasting glucose)Brines 2015
Secondary to neuropathy treatment; direct lipolytic effects not established.
HbA1c
Significant reduction vs placebo
Observed in type 2 diabetes + neuropathy trial.
Fasting glucose
Improved in ARA 290 group
Body composition
Not directly quantified
Fat loss not a primary endpoint; metabolic improvements may reflect insulin sensitivity.

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter
ARA 290
Prostamax
Injection site reaction
Mild, transient
Hematopoiesis
None — non-erythropoietic
Distinguishes ARA 290 from native EPO.
Cardiovascular
No thrombotic events or hypertension reported
Immunogenicity
No antibody formation reported
Tolerability
Well-tolerated in Phase 2 trialsCulver 2017Brines 2015
Published adverse events
None reported in available literature
Genotoxicity signals
Increased sister chromatid exchange (SCE) — marker of DNA recombination/repair; unclear long-term implications
Metal ion interactions
Modulates Cu(II) and Cd(II) chromatin effects; unknown clinical relevance
Human safety data
Absent — no published Phase 1/2/3 trials
Absolute Contraindications
ARA 290
  • ·Hypersensitivity to ARA 290
Prostamax
  • ·Active prostate malignancy — epigenetic modulation effects unknown in cancer
Relative Contraindications
ARA 290
  • ·Active malignancy (theoretical EPO-axis concern; not observed in trials)
Prostamax
  • ·History of prostate cancer — theoretical concern re: transcriptional activation
  • ·Undiagnosed prostatic nodules or elevated PSA

05Administration Protocol

Parameter
ARA 290
Prostamax
1. Preparation
Reconstitute lyophilised powder per manufacturer instructions. Use sterile technique.
Subcutaneous or intramuscular — per Khavinson bioregulator tradition. No published human pharmacokinetic data.
2. Injection site
Subcutaneous — abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Rotate sites to avoid lipohypertrophy.
If lyophilised: reconstitute with sterile water per manufacturer protocol (not standardized in literature).
3. Timing
Once daily, any time of day. Self-administered in Phase 2 trials.Brines 2015
Typically daily or every-other-day in Russian clinical tradition; duration 10–20 days per cycle.
4. Dosing
4 mg daily for 28 days (Phase 2 protocol). Duration for chronic use not established.Culver 2017
No established biomarkers. Theoretical: PSA, prostate imaging, symptom scores (IPSS for BPH).
5. Storage
Lyophilised: store at controlled room temperature. Reconstituted: refrigerate, use within specified timeframe.
All protocols derived from non-peer-reviewed Russian clinical practice; Western regulatory approval absent.

06Stack Synergy

ARA 290
+ BPC-157
Moderate
View BPC-157

ARA 290 targets the innate repair receptor (EPO/CD131) for nerve regeneration and anti-inflammatory signaling, while BPC-157 promotes angiogenesis and tissue repair through distinct mechanisms (likely involving VEGF, growth hormone receptor pathways). Combined, they may address both neuroinflammation and structural tissue repair in neuropathy or injury models. No direct clinical data; mechanistic overlap in tissue protection.

ARA 290
4 mg SQ · daily
BPC-157
250–500 mcg SQ · daily
Frequency
Once daily, same or separate injections
Primary benefit
Nerve regeneration, pain reduction, tissue healing
Prostamax
— no documented stacks