Epitalon is a four-residue synthetic peptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, made at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It was designed from the amino-acid make-up of Epithalamin, an extract of cattle pineal gland.1
Most of its literature comes from one research group, and most of the human outcome studies used the extract, not the synthetic peptide. In 2025 an independent group reported telomere data in human cell lines for the first time.1,9
4
390.4 g/mol
One group, mostly extract
Nowhere
Identity
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Sequence | H-Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly-OH (AEDG) |
| Origin | St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology; designed from Epithalamin, a pineal extract |
| Formula | C14H22N4O9 |
| Avg mass | 390.35 g/mol |
| CAS | 307297-39-8 |
| Stereochemistry | Three stereocentres; the studied form is all-L |
History
Synthesis patented in Russia.1
Fewer chromosome aberrations reported in bone marrow of senescence-accelerated mice.4
Reported to switch on telomerase and lengthen telomeres in human fetal fibroblasts.2
Fewer malignant tumours reported in female C3H/He mice.5
First independent telomere data in human cell lines, from outside the original group.9
FDA moves Epitalon off its list of compounding substances with significant safety risks after the nominations are withdrawn.10
An FDA advisory committee votes 7 to 4 to recommend adding it to the list of substances pharmacies may compound. The vote is not binding.11
What the studies measured
Read the human rows with care: they come from one group, most are small and open-label, and several used the pineal extract Epithalamin rather than Epitalon.
| Study | Model | What was measured | Finding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khavinson 2003 | Human fetal fibroblasts | Telomerase activity, telomere length | Telomerase switched on; telomeres longer | [2] |
| Khavinson 2004 | Human fetal lung fibroblasts | Number of cell divisions | Cells kept dividing past passage 44, against 34 in controls | [3] |
| Al-Dulaimi 2025 | Breast cancer lines and normal cells | Telomere length and mechanism | Longer telomeres; through telomerase in normal cells and through ALT in cancer cells | [9] |
| Rosenfeld 2002 | Senescence-accelerated mice | Chromosome aberrations in bone marrow | 17.9% to 30.1% fewer aberrations | [4] |
| Vinogradova 2007 | Female rats under three lighting regimes | Lifespan and tumours | No lifespan change under standard light; effects only under natural or constant light | [6] |
| Korkushko 2007 | Old monkeys and older people | Night-time melatonin | Reported to restore the melatonin rhythm | [7] |
| Khavinson 2003 | 266 older people, 6 to 8 years | Mortality | Lower mortality reported with Epithalamin, the extract, not Epitalon | [8] |
Regulatory and sport status
As of this revision. General information, not legal advice.
| Where | Status |
|---|---|
| UK, EU | No marketing authorisation. |
| US | Not approved. Removed from the FDA significant-safety-risk category in April 2026; an advisory committee then recommended allowing pharmacy compounding, pending formal rulemaking.10,11 |
| Sport | Not named on the 2026 WADA list. Substances with no approval for human use can fall under class S0; WADA has not ruled on Epitalon by name.12 |
Open questions
- How it works. Effects on melatonin, telomerase and gene expression are reported, but structure, stability and breakdown in the body are barely studied.1
- Independence of the evidence. Almost all animal and human data come from one group, and the human outcome studies mostly used the extract.
- What telomere lengthening means for tumour biology: a 2025 study saw the ALT pathway switched on in cancer cell lines.9
Common questions
Is Epitalon the same as Epithalamin?
No. Epithalamin is an extract of cattle pineal gland. Epitalon is a synthetic four-residue peptide designed from it. Many of the human studies used Epithalamin.
Does Epitalon lengthen telomeres?
In cell studies, yes: telomerase activity and telomere length rose in human fibroblasts, and a 2025 independent study confirmed longer telomeres in several human cell lines.
Has Epitalon been tested in people?
Only in small studies from one research group, mostly of the extract. No independent controlled trial has been published.
Is Epitalon legal to compound in the US?
Not yet. An FDA advisory committee recommended it in July 2026, but formal rulemaking is still needed.
Is Epitalon banned in sport?
It is not named on the 2026 WADA list, but unapproved substances can fall under class S0.
See also
References
- Araj SK, Brzezik J, Mądra-Gackowska K, Szeleszczuk Ł. Overview of Epitalon: highly bioactive pineal tetrapeptide with promising properties. Int J Mol Sci. 2025;26(6):2691. PMID 40141333
- Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA. Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2003;135(6):590–592. PMID 12937682
- Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA, Smirnova TD. Peptide promotes overcoming of the division limit in human somatic cell. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2004;137(5):503–506. PMID 15455129
- Rosenfeld SV, et al. Effect of epithalon on the incidence of chromosome aberrations in senescence-accelerated mice. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2002;133(3):274–276. PMID 12360351
- Kossoy G, et al. Effect of the synthetic pineal peptide epitalon on spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice. In Vivo. 2006;20(2):253–257. PMID 16634527
- Vinogradova IA, et al. Effect of Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly peptide on life span and development of spontaneous tumors in female rats exposed to different illumination regimes. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2007;144(6):825–830. PMID 18856211
- Korkushko OV, et al. [Normalizing effect of the pineal gland peptides on the daily melatonin rhythm in old monkeys and elderly people]. Adv Gerontol. 2007;20(1):74–85. PMID 17969590. In Russian.
- Khavinson VKh, Morozov VG. Peptides of pineal gland and thymus prolong human life. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2003;24(3–4):233–240. PMID 14523363
- Al-Dulaimi S, Thomas R, Matta S, Roberts T. Epitalon increases telomere length in human cell lines through telomerase upregulation or ALT activity. Biogerontology. 2025;26(5):178. PMID 40908429
- US Food and Drug Administration. Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks. Page content current as of 22 April 2026. fda.gov
- McDermott Will & Schulte. Bulk list bound? PCAC backs majority of peptides in two-day public meeting. 27 July 2026. mcdermottlaw.com
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List (in force 1 January 2026). wada-ama.org Class S0.
Peptidarium Library. Epitalon (entry 0015), revision 1.0, 2 November 2026. peptidarium.com/library/epitalon
Revision history
| Rev | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2 Nov 2026 | Entry created. | [Scientific editor] |
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