ARA-290 (Cibinetide): The EPO Fragment That Left the Blood Behind
Erythropoietin has a tissue-protective activity entirely separate from its effect on red blood cells. ARA-290 is the fragment that isolates it — and unlike most research peptides, it has been through a randomised controlled trial in patients.
- ARA-290 (cibinetide) is an 11-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from the tertiary structure of erythropoietin.
- It engages the innate repair receptor — the tissue-protective arm of EPO signalling — without stimulating erythropoiesis, which is the entire design objective.
- A randomised, double-blind pilot study in 22 sarcoidosis patients with small fibre neuropathy symptoms reported significant improvement in SFNSL score at 4 weeks versus placebo (Heij et al., Molecular Medicine, 2012).
- Subsequent work reported improvements in corneal nerve fibre abundance in patients with sarcoidosis-associated small nerve fibre loss.
- Research interest centres on neuropathy, nerve repair and inflammation models rather than anything haematological.
- For in vitro laboratory research use only — not for human or veterinary consumption.
Splitting one hormone into two jobs
Erythropoietin is known for one thing: telling bone marrow to make red blood cells. That is the property that made it a drug, and the property that made it a doping agent.
It also has a second, quite separate activity — a tissue-protective signal that operates through a different receptor complex and has nothing to do with erythropoiesis. For researchers interested in that second job, full-length EPO is a blunt instrument: you cannot study the tissue-protective arm without also driving red cell production.
ARA-290 — cibinetide — is the answer to that problem. It is an 11-amino-acid peptide derived from EPO's tertiary structure, engineered to engage the **innate repair receptor** while leaving erythropoiesis alone.
Why that separation is the whole point
The innate repair receptor is the tissue-protective arm of EPO signalling. Isolating it means researchers can probe repair and anti-inflammatory pathways without confounding every result with haematocrit changes.
That makes ARA-290 an unusually clean tool. Most research peptides are interesting because of what they do; this one is interesting largely because of what it deliberately does not do.
It has actually been in patients
This is rare enough in a research catalogue to be worth stating plainly.
In a **randomised, double-blind pilot study**, 22 sarcoidosis patients with symptoms of small fibre neuropathy received either ARA-290 (12 patients) or placebo (10 patients), 2 mg intravenously three times weekly for four weeks. The ARA-290 group showed **significant improvement in Small Fiber Neuropathy Screening List score at week 4 versus placebo (p < 0.05)**, along with gains in pain and physical functioning measures. No safety concerns were identified. Published by Heij, Niesters, Swartjes and colleagues in *Molecular Medicine* in 2012.
Later work reported **improvements in corneal nerve fibre abundance** in patients with sarcoidosis-associated small nerve fibre loss and neuropathic pain — a structural measure rather than a symptom score, which is a meaningfully harder endpoint to move.
Twenty-two patients is a pilot, not a phase 3, and should be read as one. But a randomised controlled trial with a significant primary result puts ARA-290 well ahead of the typical research compound, which arrives supported by cell-culture work and hope.
Research attention concentrates on **neuropathy, nerve repair and inflammation models**. Related compounds in the catalogue include BPC-157 in tissue repair models and thymosin alpha-1 in immune modulation. Molecular data for each is in our reference library.
What to check before buying it
An 11-residue peptide with a well-defined structure is straightforward to synthesise correctly and equally straightforward to synthesise badly. Only the certificate tells you which you received.
- —**HPLC for purity, LC-MS for identity**, by an independent third-party lab rather than the seller.
- —**Published-batch purity averaging above 99%** — measured, across the batches we publish.
- —**Look up your lot number** and read the certificate of analysis for your exact vial, or browse all published results first.
Then the part that decides whether it arrives at all: **shipped from Vancouver, BC**, typically 2 to 5 business days, tracked, insured, discreetly packaged, priced in Canadian dollars, free shipping over $300 CAD. No customs clearance and no border seizure, because nothing crosses a border. Most research compounds bought in Canada come from overseas and take that risk on every order.
Frequently asked questions
What is ARA-290?
ARA-290, also called cibinetide, is an 11-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from the tertiary structure of erythropoietin. It engages the innate repair receptor — EPO's tissue-protective signalling arm — without stimulating red blood cell production. It is supplied for in vitro laboratory research use only.
Does ARA-290 affect red blood cell production?
No. It was specifically designed to separate EPO's tissue-protective activity from its erythropoietic activity, engaging the innate repair receptor without driving erythropoiesis. That separation is the reason the compound exists.
Has ARA-290 been studied in humans?
Yes. A randomised, double-blind pilot study in 22 sarcoidosis patients with small fibre neuropathy symptoms reported significant improvement in Small Fiber Neuropathy Screening List score at 4 weeks versus placebo (Heij et al., Molecular Medicine, 2012). Later work reported improvements in corneal nerve fibre abundance. These are early-stage findings from small studies.
What research areas use ARA-290?
Primarily neuropathy, nerve repair and inflammation models — research questions concerning tissue protection rather than anything haematological.
Where can I buy ARA-290 in Canada?
Popular Peptides supplies ARA-290 for laboratory research use, shipped domestically from Vancouver, BC with a third-party certificate of analysis verifiable by lot number. It is not sold for human or veterinary consumption.
ARA-290 is supplied for in vitro laboratory research use only. It is not approved by Health Canada for therapeutic use and is not intended for human or veterinary consumption. 18+.
Every batch we sell is independently third-party tested, with the full Certificate of Analysis published and checkable by lot number.