Epitalon
Pineal gland tetrapeptide
Overview
Epitalon (also written Epithalon) is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) developed by Vladimir Khavinson and the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as a synthetic analog of a tetrapeptide fraction isolated from bovine pineal gland (Epithalamin). The molecule has been studied since the 1980s for effects on telomerase activity, telomere length maintenance, circadian-rhythm regulation through pineal-melatonin signaling, and broader longevity readouts, making it the canonical Khavinson-class short-peptide bioregulator and the most clinically studied member of the family. Lyochem supplies Epitalon acetate as a lyophilized powder at ≥99.0% HPLC purity. The four-residue sequence is straightforward in SPPS and the analytical packet covers peak-integration HPLC plus mass spec, sequence verification is rarely the critical test for a tetrapeptide. Standard 10 mg and 50 mg fill sizes cover both research aliquot scales and compounding-pharmacy dispensing workflows. Epitalon's broad use in cyclic dosing protocols means buyers typically purchase larger fills than for most short peptides; the 50 mg vial is the more common size for sustained-research and compounding contexts.
Who buys this, and why
Longevity-class peptides — Epitalon, FoxO4-DRI, PNC-27 — ship to research labs studying telomere maintenance, senescence-clearance, and tumour-suppressor pathways. The chemistry is well-behaved but solution stability matters: Epitalon and FoxO4-DRI both prefer chelator-free water and storage at −20 °C protected from light. For chronic-exposure in vivo work, request bacterial-endotoxin testing on the specific lot at quote stage.
Primary buyer fit: research laboratories that have validated this peptide into their workflow and academic and contract research laboratories.
Specifications
- CAS
- 307297-39-8
- Sequence
- AEDG
- Purity (HPLC)
- ≥ 99.0%
- Common vial sizes
- 10 mg, 50 mg
- MOQ
- On request
- Lead time
- 7–14 days
- Storage
- -20°C, protect from light
Documentation available on request
- Lot-specific Certificate of Analysis (CoA)
- RP-HPLC chromatogram with peak integration
- ESI-MS identity confirmation (±0.5 Da)
- Sequence verification by LC-MS/MS
- Water content by Karl Fischer
- SDS / MSDS
- Oxidative-stability series for solution work
- Stability at −20 °C across 12 months
- Solubility in chelator-free water + PBS
Regulatory note
Currently under FDA PCAC review (July 2026) for inclusion on the 503A bulks list with the proposed indication of insomnia. Sold for research and commercial use in compliance with the buyer's local regulations.
Frequently asked questions
What's the relationship between Epitalon and Khavinson bioregulators more broadly?▾
Epitalon is the most-studied member of the Khavinson-class short-peptide bioregulators, a research lineage developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology that includes Cortagen (AEDP), Bronchogen (AEDL), Pinealon (EDR), Vesugen (KED), and several others. The shared design pattern is short (typically 3-4 amino acids) sequences derived from tissue-specific peptide fractions isolated from animal tissues, hypothesized to act as endogenous bioregulators of cell-cycle and gene-expression programs in their respective target tissues. Epitalon is the prototype and the most rigorously studied; the others have varying levels of supporting evidence.
Why is Epitalon under FDA PCAC review and what's the proposed indication?▾
Epitalon is on the July 2026 FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee agenda with the proposed indication of insomnia, reflecting the molecule's most consistently reported clinical effect across the Russian research literature: melatonin-pathway modulation and improved sleep architecture in older subjects. If the FDA accepts PCAC's recommendation to add Epitalon to the 503A bulks list, US compounding pharmacies could formulate patient-specific Epitalon preparations under 503A. Until the FDA acts, US compounding use is constrained by the current regulatory posture.
Related peptides