Peptides Recovery & HealingImmune Support Human clinical data

ARA-290 (Cibinetide)

Cibinetide

12 hours

Half-life

2–8 mg

Typical dose

4 weeks in trials; 4–12 weeks reported off-label

Cycle length

Peptide analog of the erythropoietin helix B region studied for neuropathy and tissue protection.

Key takeaways

EPO-derived repair peptide; tissue-protective without raising red blood cell production.
Randomized pilot trials in sarcoidosis small-fiber neuropathy showed symptom improvement.
Program stalled at phase 2; never approved for any indication.
Plotter half-life (~12 hours) is an estimate; human PK data is limited.

🚧 Expanded guide coming soon. This compound has PK data and a source — a full overview, mechanism, and dosing guide is pending editorial review.

Reported dosing protocols

Protocols reported in research literature and clinic/community use — informational context, not a dosing recommendation.

Use case	Dose	Route	Frequency	Duration
Sarcoidosis small-fiber neuropathy (phase 2 trials)	4 mg	SubQ	Once daily	28 days
Neuropathic pain (off-label clinic use)	2–8 mg	SubQ	Once daily	4–12 weeks

Pharmacokinetic summary

Model tier: Simple (t½ + F, Tmax estimated)
Half-life: 12 hours
Bioavailability: 50%
Typical dose: 2–8 mg

Frequently asked questions

Does ARA-290 raise red blood cell counts like EPO?

No, that's the design goal. ARA-290 was engineered to activate only the tissue-repair receptor, not the erythropoietin receptor that drives red cell production. Trial data confirmed no effect on hematocrit, which is the whole point of the molecule.

Is ARA-290 approved?

No. Cibinetide reached randomized phase 2 trials for sarcoidosis-associated small-fiber neuropathy and showed positive signals, but the development program never progressed to phase 3 or approval. Current availability is through research channels.

What conditions has ARA-290 been tested in?

Published human trials covered sarcoidosis-associated small-fiber neuropathy and neuropathic symptoms in type 2 diabetes, with symptom improvement reported in both. These were small pilot studies, so the findings are promising rather than proven.

References

Estimated (peptide analog) — Erythropoietin-derived helix B peptide; tissue-protective without erythropoiesis.
Heij et al., Mol Med 2012 — ARA 290 in sarcoidosis small-fiber neuropathy (randomized pilot) — Double-blind pilot trial; symptom improvement on 4 mg/day for 28 days.
Brines et al., Mol Med 2014 — ARA 290 and corneal nerve fiber abundance — Follow-up showing increased corneal nerve fiber abundance alongside symptom relief.

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