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Specimen Atlas of Research Peptides81 plates · MIT
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VIIPlate VIIReviewed 2026-04-27

ARA 290

EPO-Derived Peptide

also known as Cibinetide, pHBSP

Synthetic 11-amino-acid peptide derived from erythropoietin helix B. Non-erythropoietic but tissue-protective via innate repair receptor (EPO/CD131 heterodimer). Phase 2 trials demonstrate corneal nerve fiber regeneration, reduced neuropathic pain, and improved metabolic control in sarcoidosis-associated small fiber neuropathy and type 2 diabetes with painful neuropathy.

§ I

At a glance

Phase 2 duration
28 days
Safety profile
Non-erythropoietic
Route

SQ · Daily

§ II

Mechanism

Edit ↗

Primary target — Innate repair receptor (EPO receptor / CD131 heterodimer).

Pathway — EPO/CD131 → JAK2 activation → PI3K/AKT, MAPK signaling → anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic cascades.

Downstream effect — Tissue protection, nerve fiber regeneration, suppression of inflammatory macrophage activation, altered T-cell differentiation (↑Treg, ↑Th2, ↓Th1) [liu-2014][culver-2017].

Origin — 11-amino-acid sequence from EPO helix B, engineered to eliminate hematopoietic activity while retaining tissue-protective properties.

Feedback intact — N/A — does not interact with hematopoietic EPO receptor [liu-2014].

§ III

Dosage

Protocols described in the cited literature; not medical advice.

Edit ↗
ParameterValue
Standard dose (Phase 2)4 mg / day [brines-2015][culver-2017]Sarcoidosis SFN and diabetic neuropathy trials.
FrequencyOnce dailySelf-administered subcutaneously.
Duration28 days (Phase 2) [culver-2017]Corneal nerve improvements observed by day 28.
Evidence basisPhase 2 RCTs [culver-2017][brines-2015]64-subject sarcoidosis trial, type 2 diabetes trial.
RouteSubcutaneous [brines-2015]
TimingAny time of dayNo circadian dependence reported.
§ III · b

Reconstitution

A pure mass-to-volume utility. Enter what you have in the vial; the atlas computes the volume per dose. No prescription information.

Inputs
mg
mL
mcg
The calculator does pure mass-to-volume math. It does not recommend a dose. Refer to ARA 290's cited literature for protocol specifics.
Volumetric outputFig. C — reconstitution math
Volume per dose
0.125mL
12.5 units on a U-100 insulin syringe
Concentration
2000
mcg per mL
Doses per vial
16
at this dose
§ IV

Evidence

Edit ↗
Strength
30/100
phase 2

Phase 2 diabetes trial · secondary metabolic endpoints

OutcomeFinding
Primary effectImproved metabolic control (HbA1c, fasting glucose) [brines-2015]Secondary to neuropathy treatment; direct lipolytic effects not established.
HbA1cSignificant reduction vs placeboObserved in type 2 diabetes + neuropathy trial.
Fasting glucoseImproved in ARA 290 group
Body compositionNot directly quantifiedFat loss not a primary endpoint; metabolic improvements may reflect insulin sensitivity.
§ V

Adverse events

Severities follow the FDA / CTCAE convention.

Edit ↗
Injection site reactionmild
Mild, transient
Hematopoiesismild
None — non-erythropoietic
Cardiovascularmild
No thrombotic events or hypertension reported
Immunogenicitymild
No antibody formation reported
Tolerabilitymild
Well-tolerated in Phase 2 trials [culver-2017][brines-2015]
Absolute contraindications
  • Hypersensitivity to ARA 290
Relative contraindications
  • Active malignancy (theoretical EPO-axis concern; not observed in trials)
§ VI

Administration

Edit ↗
  1. 01
    Preparation

    Reconstitute lyophilised powder per manufacturer instructions. Use sterile technique.

  2. 02
    Injection site

    Subcutaneous — abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Rotate sites to avoid lipohypertrophy.

  3. 03
    Timing

    Once daily, any time of day. Self-administered in Phase 2 trials. [brines-2015]

  4. 04
    Dosing

    4 mg daily for 28 days (Phase 2 protocol). Duration for chronic use not established. [culver-2017]

  5. 05
    Storage

    Lyophilised: store at controlled room temperature. Reconstituted: refrigerate, use within specified timeframe.

§ VII

Synergies

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Appendix

Sources

29%

of 59 rendered claims carry a resolvable citation.

  1. [brines-2015]
    Brines 2015ARA 290, a nonerythropoietic peptide engineered from erythropoietin, improves metabolic control and neuropathic symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes.
    journal, 2015
  2. [culver-2017]
    Culver 2017Cibinetide Improves Corneal Nerve Fiber Abundance in Patients With Sarcoidosis-Associated Small Nerve Fiber Loss and Neuropathic Pain.
    journal, 2017
  3. [liu-2014]
    Liu 2014Erythropoietin-derived nonerythropoietic peptide ameliorates experimental autoimmune neuritis by inflammation suppression and tissue protection.
    journal, 2014
  4. [van-2014]
    van 2014ARA 290 for treatment of small fiber neuropathy in sarcoidosis.
    journal, 2014
Plate composed 2026-04-27 · maturity human-reviewed · schema v1 · Contributors: peptidesdb-core · 42 fields uncited — open contributions