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What it is
ARA-290 is an 11-amino-acid peptide engineered from part of erythropoietin. It was designed to activate tissue-protective signaling while avoiding erythropoietin's blood-cell-producing effect.
The compound has been tested in people with sarcoidosis-associated small-fiber neuropathy and in early studies of other inflammatory or metabolic complications. It is not an FDA-approved treatment.
What people research it for
Neuropathy symptom signal
Early human dataSmall placebo-controlled sarcoidosis studies reported improvements in some neuropathy symptom measures.
Corneal nerve regeneration signal
Early human dataA 28-day trial found increased corneal small-nerve-fiber measures alongside symptom changes.
Tissue protection without erythropoiesis
Animal studiesPreclinical work supports tissue-protective signaling without a meaningful rise in red blood cells.
Broader repair claims remain unproven
Preclinical / theorizedClaims involving wounds, inflammatory bowel disease, or longevity rely mainly on animal or cell models.
How it works
Researchers propose that cibinetide activates an innate repair receptor formed by the erythropoietin receptor and the beta common receptor. This pathway is different from the receptor arrangement that drives red blood cell production.
Cell and animal studies connect that signaling to lower inflammatory activity, reduced cell injury, and repair of small nerve fibers. Those mechanisms are plausible but do not establish a general pain or healing treatment.
What the research actually shows
A randomized pilot study in sarcoidosis-associated small-fiber neuropathy enrolled 22 participants. Repeated subcutaneous cibinetide was generally tolerated and produced signals on symptom questionnaires, but the study was small and exploratory.
A later blinded trial studied 64 participants over 28 days. The investigators reported improvement in neuropathic symptoms and an increase in corneal nerve-fiber area, an objective imaging measure used as a marker of small-fiber repair.
Another sarcoidosis study evaluated different exposure levels and found changes in patient-reported symptoms and nerve measures. The limited sample sizes and overlapping research groups make independent replication important.
ClinicalTrials.gov lists a randomized study using corneal nerve-fiber density and neuropathic symptoms as outcomes. These studies describe a controlled investigational product, not retail research vials.
Mouse studies report effects in diabetic wound healing, experimental colitis, inflammatory pain, and age-related cardiac changes. Animal findings cannot establish clinical benefit for those conditions.
No large phase 3 trial has shown that cibinetide prevents disability, treats routine neuropathy, or improves longevity. It remains an investigational compound.
Handling & storage
Storage at a glance
Vendor consensus- Lyophilized
- -20°C
- Keep sealed, dry, and protected from light and moisture.
- Reconstituted
- 2 to 8°C
- Use the product-specific laboratory instructions. No independently validated universal in-use period was found.
- Light
- Protect from light and moisture.
- Room temperature
- Brief shipping exposure is not a validated shelf life. Avoid sustained heat.
- Reconstitution
- product-specific laboratory solvent
- A research vial must not be assumed sterile or suitable for injection.
Basis: Vendor consensus. Sources: American Peptides ARA-290 technical page, Real Peptides ARA-290 storage guide
Two checked research suppliers agree on frozen storage near -20°C for lyophilized ARA-290 and protection from light and moisture. Their refrigerated after-preparation guidance is vendor consensus, not a published formulation stability study.
Keep the dry material sealed and use the exact solvent and storage instructions for the specific laboratory product. A retail vial is not the clinical formulation used in cibinetide trials.
Safety & cautions
Small cibinetide studies did not show the red-blood-cell effects expected from erythropoietin, but their size and duration cannot define uncommon or long-term harms. Reported monitoring included blood counts, vital signs, laboratory values, and local reactions.
Unknowns include pregnancy, cancer, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, drug interactions, and long-term immune effects. Unapproved vials add identity, potency, sterility, and endotoxin risks.
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Frequently asked questions
Is ARA-290 the same as cibinetide?
Yes. Cibinetide is the clinical-development name for ARA-290.
Is ARA-290 erythropoietin?
No. It is a short peptide derived from an erythropoietin region and was designed not to stimulate red blood cell production.
Is ARA-290 FDA approved?
No. It remains investigational.
Has ARA-290 been tested in people?
Yes, in small early trials, especially in sarcoidosis-associated small-fiber neuropathy.
Does ARA-290 regrow nerves?
One small trial reported improved corneal nerve-fiber measures. That is an early signal, not proof of broad nerve regeneration.
How should laboratory ARA-290 be stored?
Checked suppliers agree on sealed, dry, light-protected storage near -20°C before preparation. Their after-preparation windows are not independently validated.
Sources
- Randomized cibinetide pilot in sarcoidosis
- ARA-290 small-fiber neuropathy trial
- Corneal nerve-fiber study
- Cibinetide trial record
- American Peptides ARA-290 technical page
- Real Peptides ARA-290 storage guide
Last reviewed September 17, 2026. This guide is educational and research-focused, not medical advice. ARA-290 products referenced on PeptidePub are sold by third parties as materials for laboratory research use only, not for human or animal consumption.
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