Is ARA-290 approved or legal?

ARA-290 is not approved by the FDA, the EMA, or any other major regulator for any indication. It received orphan-drug and fast-track designations for sarcoidosis, but those are development incentives, not approvals. It is sold only as a research chemical and is not authorized for human use.

Does ARA-290 work for neuropathy?

The evidence is limited and preliminary. Two small phase 2 trials in sarcoidosis-associated small-fibre neuropathy reported improvements in corneal nerve-fibre measures and symptoms over about 28 days, but they were small, short, and used surrogate endpoints. No phase 3 trial has confirmed these findings, so effectiveness is not established.

What are the side effects of ARA-290?

In the short phase 2 trials, ARA-290 was generally well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported, aside from the injection-site reactions common to injectable peptides. However, those studies involved few participants over roughly four weeks, so its long-term safety profile is unknown.

Is ARA-290 the same as EPO?

No. ARA-290 is derived from a portion of the EPO molecule, but it was specifically designed not to stimulate red-blood-cell production the way EPO does. The intent was to keep EPO's tissue-protective, anti-inflammatory signalling while avoiding its blood-related effects.

Why did ARA-290 development stall?

ARA-290 completed small phase 2 studies but did not advance to phase 3 confirmation, and its clinical development stalled. As a result it never became an approved medicine, and it remains an unproven, research-only compound rather than a validated treatment.

Where can I buy ARA-290 and compare vendors?

Use the vendor comparison on this page. It shows only checked, product-specific links and identifies vendor claims, independent documentation and affiliate relationships separately. Availability and legal status can vary by country.

Immune

Buy ARA-290 – Vendors, Prices, Testing and Evidence

Buy ARA-290

Also known as: Cibinetide · pHBSP · innate repair receptor agonist

Evidence grade C — Early / PreclinicalRisk flag

Short answer

An erythropoietin-derived peptide studied for small-fibre neuropathy in sarcoidosis. Human data come from small phase 2 trials with surrogate endpoints; it is not approved and development has stalled.

Where can you buy ARA-290?

Crystal Peptides. The table lists only product-specific offers that were checked and for which a real destination exists. Missing prices, quantities, stock and laboratory details are not inferred.

What is known?

ARA-290 (cibinetide) is an 11-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from a region of the erythropoietin (EPO) molecule. It was designed to activate tissue-protective signalling without the red-blood-cell-stimulating effects of EPO. It is an investigational compound that has not completed clinical development.

What is not established?

Two small randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trials in sarcoidosis-associated small-fibre neuropathy (Molecular Medicine, 2013; Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2017) reported improvements in corneal nerve-fibre measures and neuropathic symptoms over 28 days. These studies were small, short, and relied on surrogate endpoints; no phase 3 confirmation exists and outcomes for other conditions are unproven.

Safety

In the short phase 2 trials it was generally well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported, but these involved few participants over about four weeks. Long-term safety is unknown, and it is not a licensed medicine or quality-assured product.

Regulatory status

Not approved by the FDA, EMA, or any major regulator for any indication. It received orphan-drug and fast-track designations for sarcoidosis, but these are development incentives, not approvals. Clinical development stalled after phase 2; sold only as a research chemical, not authorised for human use.

Not medical advice. This educational reference is not diagnosis, treatment, prescribing, dosing or emergency guidance. Consult a qualified professional before making health-related decisions.

Regulatory or safety concern: This substance may be unapproved for human use, affect the hormonal system, or be subject to regulator or anti-doping restrictions. Check the cited evidence and rules in your jurisdiction.

Vendor comparison

Buy ARA-290: compare vendors

The table lists only product-specific offers that were checked and for which a real destination exists. Missing prices, quantities, stock and laboratory details are not inferred.

Vendor	Product	Documentation	Shipping	Checked	Action
Crystal Peptides Code PEPTIDES10 −10% · discount code details Sponsored	ARA-290 research product	Vendor-supplied data COA stated as available Not independently documented	Europe See the localized country store	Jul 18, 2026	View at vendor

Crystal Peptides

ARA-290 research product

Code PEPTIDES10 −10% · discount code details

What is it?

Research and evidence

ARA-290, also known as cibinetide and sometimes referenced as pHBSP, is an 11-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from a region of the erythropoietin (EPO) molecule. It was designed to switch on EPO's tissue-protective signalling without the red-blood-cell-stimulating effects that define EPO itself, which is the idea that made it scientifically interesting. It is best understood as an investigational compound that has not completed clinical development, rather than as a validated treatment for any condition.

Most of the human research on ARA-290 concerns small-fibre neuropathy associated with sarcoidosis. Two small randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trials (Molecular Medicine, 2013; Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2017) reported improvements in corneal nerve-fibre measures and in neuropathic symptoms over roughly 28 days. These studies were small and short and relied on surrogate endpoints, and no phase 3 trial has confirmed them; effects in other conditions remain unproven. The proposed mechanism is agonism of a so-called innate repair receptor, described as an EPO-receptor/CD131 heterocomplex involved in anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective signalling. peptides.cx grades the evidence C, and it is worth noting that the orphan-drug and fast-track designations ARA-290 received for sarcoidosis are development incentives, not approvals.

ARA-290 is not approved by the FDA, the EMA, or any other major regulator for any indication, and its clinical development stalled after phase 2. It is sold only as a research chemical and is not authorized for human use. In the short phase 2 studies it was generally well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported, but those trials involved few participants over about four weeks, so its long-term safety is unknown and research-market material is neither a licensed medicine nor a quality-assured product. This page is an educational reference summarizing what the evidence does and does not support; it is not medical advice, and it does not provide dosing, protocols, or sourcing guidance.

Evidence grade: C

Human evidence

Animal and preclinical evidence

Preclinical models of neuropathy, ischaemia, and inflammation reported tissue-protective and anti-inflammatory effects, which motivated the human trials.

Proposed mechanisms

Proposed agonism of the 'innate repair receptor' (an EPO-receptor/CD131 heterocomplex)
Discussed anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective signalling
Proposed support of small-nerve-fibre regeneration in neuropathy

Safety concerns and known side effects

Injection-site reactions
Limited safety data from small, short trials

Regulatory status

Frequently asked questions about ARA-290

What is ARA-290?: ARA-290 (also called cibinetide) is an 11-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from a region of the erythropoietin (EPO) molecule. It was designed to activate tissue-protective signalling without EPO's red-blood-cell-stimulating effects. It is an investigational compound that has not completed clinical development.
Is ARA-290 approved or legal?: ARA-290 is not approved by the FDA, the EMA, or any other major regulator for any indication. It received orphan-drug and fast-track designations for sarcoidosis, but those are development incentives, not approvals. It is sold only as a research chemical and is not authorized for human use.
Does ARA-290 work for neuropathy?: The evidence is limited and preliminary. Two small phase 2 trials in sarcoidosis-associated small-fibre neuropathy reported improvements in corneal nerve-fibre measures and symptoms over about 28 days, but they were small, short, and used surrogate endpoints. No phase 3 trial has confirmed these findings, so effectiveness is not established.
What are the side effects of ARA-290?: In the short phase 2 trials, ARA-290 was generally well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported, aside from the injection-site reactions common to injectable peptides. However, those studies involved few participants over roughly four weeks, so its long-term safety profile is unknown.
Is ARA-290 the same as EPO?: No. ARA-290 is derived from a portion of the EPO molecule, but it was specifically designed not to stimulate red-blood-cell production the way EPO does. The intent was to keep EPO's tissue-protective, anti-inflammatory signalling while avoiding its blood-related effects.
Why did ARA-290 development stall?: ARA-290 completed small phase 2 studies but did not advance to phase 3 confirmation, and its clinical development stalled. As a result it never became an approved medicine, and it remains an unproven, research-only compound rather than a validated treatment.
Where can I buy ARA-290 and compare vendors?: Use the vendor comparison on this page. It shows only checked, product-specific links and identifies vendor claims, independent documentation and affiliate relationships separately. Availability and legal status can vary by country.

Common discussion areas

Neuropathic pain and small-fibre neuropathyEPO-derived without red-cell effectsSarcoidosis researchStalled development status

Sources

Editorial review and transparency

Written by: peptides.cx Editorial Team
Scientific reviewer: No named medical reviewer is currently assigned
Last editorial review: July 18, 2026
Last vendor check: July 18, 2026
Review method: Source review, claim verification, vendor-data separation and regulatory-context review.
Commercial disclosure and conflicts: Vendor relationships do not determine evidence or safety ratings. No named reviewer conflict is recorded because no named reviewer is assigned.

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