Pain · Investigational
ARA-290
No lawful US pathway
01 · Overview
A synthetic 11-amino acid peptide (also called cibinetide or pyroglutamate helix B surface peptide) modeled on the helix B region of erythropoietin (EPO) that selectively activates the innate repair receptor (IRR), a heteromer of the EPO receptor and the beta common receptor (CD131) (PMID 29392190). It was designed to avoid binding the EPO receptor homodimer that drives red cell production, sidestepping the rises in hematocrit and thrombosis risk that limit EPO for tissue protection (PMID 25728128).
Despite a plasma half-life of about two minutes, it has shown sustained anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective effects in animal models (PMID 25728128).
02 · Research summary & key findings
A 22-patient randomized pilot trial in sarcoidosis with small fiber neuropathy symptoms found improved neuropathy symptom scores versus placebo after 4 weeks, with no safety concerns (PMID 23168581). A phase 2b trial in 64 patients with sarcoidosis-associated small nerve fiber loss reported increased corneal nerve fiber area at one of three doses, with pain improving in all groups including placebo (PMID 28475703). A phase 2 study in type 2 diabetes with painful neuropathy reported improved HbA1c and neuropathic symptoms (PMID 25387363). In mice with sciatic nerve injury it relieved allodynia, an effect absent in beta common receptor knockout animals (animal data) (PMID 29392190).
03 · Regulatory status
ARA-290 is in the investigational stage. While preclinical and early-phase data exist, it has not received regulatory approval for clinical use in the United States.
No lawful pathway today
ARA-290 is not FDA-approved and does not currently have a lawful prescription or compounding pathway in the United States, so we do not sell it and will not book a consultation for it. That can change: in 2026 FDA began reviewing several peptides for compounding. If you are working on the goal it is studied for, a licensed clinician can tell you what is lawfully available, which may be something else.
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Looking for a lawful, clinician-prescribed option for injury recovery and tissue repair?
ARA-290 is an investigational compound, is not FDA-approved, and has no lawful US compounding pathway, so we do not offer it and no clinician we work with will prescribe it. Products sold online as “research chemicals” are not made or tested to the standards required of medicines. If you are working on injury recovery and tissue repair, a licensed clinician can tell you at a free consultation whether an FDA-approved or lawfully compounded treatment fits you, or whether nothing does.
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04 · Administration routes
- Subcutaneous injection
- Intravenous
References
- [1]Safety and efficacy of ARA 290 in sarcoidosis patients with symptoms of small fiber neuropathy: a randomized, double-blind pilot study Mol Med, 2012. PMID 23168581
- [2]ARA 290, a nonerythropoietic peptide engineered from erythropoietin, improves metabolic control and neuropathic symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes Mol Med, 2015. PMID 25387363
- [3]Flipping the molecular switch for innate protection and repair of tissues: Long-lasting effects of a non-erythropoietic small peptide engineered from erythropoietin Pharmacol Ther, 2015. PMID 25728128
- [4]Cibinetide Improves Corneal Nerve Fiber Abundance in Patients With Sarcoidosis-Associated Small Nerve Fiber Loss and Neuropathic Pain Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2017. PMID 28475703
- [5]Targeting the innate repair receptor to treat neuropathy Pain Rep, 2016. PMID 29392190
Primary literature
- PubMed: "ARA-290"
Peer-reviewed literature indexed by the National Library of Medicine.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: "ARA-290"
Registered interventional and observational studies, including status and phase.
- PubChem: "ARA-290"
Chemical structure, molecular properties, and bioactivity data.
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Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational and research purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any peptide therapy. The Peptide Association does not endorse or recommend any specific treatment protocol. See our editorial policy for how this content is produced and reviewed. Clinicians: join the network.