Overview
Cibinetide, also known as ARA-290, is an 11-amino-acid peptide derived from the helix B surface of erythropoietin (EPO). It emerged from research by Michael Brines, Anthony Cerami and colleagues, who showed that EPO has tissue-protective effects that can be separated from its stimulation of red blood cell production. Cibinetide was engineered to retain the tissue-protective activity while lacking erythropoietic activity, and it is developed by Araim Pharmaceuticals.
Cibinetide is not approved by the FDA or EMA and has been studied in phase 2 clinical research. Its most cited investigations involve small-fibre neuropathy associated with sarcoidosis and type 2 diabetes, where trials have examined corneal nerve fibre density and neuropathic symptom endpoints. in vitro studies and animal models.">Preclinical work spans models of nerve injury, diabetic complications, ischaemia and inflammation. Interest in cibinetide is tied to the broader concept of an innate repair system, a stress-induced protective pathway that EPO activates through a receptor distinct from the classical erythropoietic receptor. Whether this pathway can be engaged reliably in humans remains an open research question.
Mechanism studied
- Cibinetide
- Innate repair receptor (EPOR/CD131)
- Anti-inflammatory signalling
- Nerve-fibre endpoints
Cibinetide is proposed to act through the innate repair receptor, a heteromeric complex of the EPO receptor and the beta common receptor, CD131. This complex is upregulated in tissues under injury or metabolic stress and has lower affinity for EPO than the homodimeric receptor that drives erythropoiesis. Cibinetide mimics the helix B surface of EPO that engages the innate repair receptor without activating the homodimer, so it does not stimulate red cell production in reported studies. Downstream signalling in experimental models includes reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine release, decreased apoptosis and support of nerve fibre regeneration.
Research highlights
- 01Arose from work by Brines, Cerami and colleagues separating EPO's tissue-protective and erythropoietic actions.
- 02An 11-residue peptide mimicking EPO's helix B surface, which engages the innate repair receptor.
- 03Phase 2 studies in sarcoidosis-associated small-fibre neuropathy used corneal nerve fibre measures as endpoints.
- 04Preclinical research spans diabetic complications, nerve injury, ischaemia and inflammation models.
- 05Open questions include the precise receptor composition and the reproducibility of nerve regeneration findings.
Research areas
- Innate repair receptor research
- Small-fibre neuropathy trials
- Tissue protection without erythropoiesis
- Inflammation models
Evidence & regulatory status
Overall status: Not approved — phase 2 clinical research
Key references
- [1]Dahan et al., 2013 — Mol Med
- [2]PubMed — reviews on cibinetide (ARA-290)
Latest published research
49 papers on PubMed →Case Report: Regenerative peptides for Inferior alveolar nerve injury: a narrative review with hypothesis-generating three clinical cases
Froum S et al. · Frontiers in oral health · 2026 · PMID 42876687
Peptides in Regenerative Medicine: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Applications in Tissue Repair and Chronic Pain Management
Luansritisakul C et al. · Current pain and headache reports · 2026 Aug 24 · PMID 42635865
Pharmacological Management of Diabetic Neuropathy: Current Evidence, Clinical Positioning, and Emerging Therapeutic Targets
Alburghaif AH et al. · Current neuropharmacology · 2026 Aug 22 · PMID 42693836
Immunometabolic dysregulation drives selective executive cognitive dysfunction in male db/db mice
Alasousi D et al. · Neurobiology of disease · 2026 Jun 1 · PMID 41933665
Retraction Note: Delayed administration of pyroglutamate helix B surface peptide (pHBSP), a novel nonerythropoietic analog of erythropoietin, attenuates acute kidney injury
Patel NSA et al. · Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.) · 2026 Feb 26 · PMID 41749083
Phase-targeted erythropoietin derivatives for traumatic brain injury: bridging mechanisms to precision therapy
Sun Y et al. · Frontiers in neurology · 2025 · PMID 41659975
Mechanistic Approach for Protective Effect of ARA290, a Specific Ligand for the Erythropoietin/CD131 Heteroreceptor, against Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity, the Involvement of Apoptosis and Inflammation Pathways
Ghassemi-Barghi N et al. · Inflammation · 2023 Feb · PMID 36085231
A small erythropoietin derived non-hematopoietic peptide reduces cardiac inflammation, attenuates age associated declines in heart function and prolongs healthspan
Winicki NM et al. · Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2022 · PMID 36741836
Live feed from PubMed (NCBI) for “Cibinetide”, updated 2026-10-30. Listing a paper is not an endorsement of its findings.
Registered studies
4 on ClinicalTrials.gov →- TerminatedPhase 2
The Use of ARA290 for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Oedema
NCT06626971 · Belfast Health and Social Care Trust · 2016-04
- CompletedPhase 2
Study of Efficacy of ARA 290 on Corneal Nerve Fiber Density and Neuropathic Symptoms of Subjects With Sarcoidosis
NCT02039687 · Araim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 2014-01
- UnknownPhase 2
ARA290 in T2D (Effects of ARA 290, an Erythropoietin Analogue) in Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes)
NCT01933529 · Claes-Göran Östenson · 2013-10
- CompletedPhase 1Phase 2
Cognitive and Neural Effects of ARA290
NCT02070783 · Leiden University Medical Center · 2012-02
From the public ClinicalTrials.gov registry for “Cibinetide”, updated 2026-10-30. Shown for research context only; Purity Peptides products are not for human use.
FAQ
Cibinetide is an 11-amino-acid peptide modelled on the helix B surface of EPO. It retains EPO's tissue-protective signalling in experimental studies but does not engage the receptor complex responsible for red blood cell production.
It is a proposed receptor complex formed by the EPO receptor and the beta common receptor, CD131. It appears in stressed or injured tissues and mediates protective, anti-inflammatory signalling distinct from erythropoiesis.
No. Cibinetide is not approved by the FDA or EMA and has been studied in phase 2 clinical research, primarily in small-fibre neuropathy. Research material is supplied for laboratory investigation only.
Last updated October 2026 · Reviewed by the Purity Peptides research team · Information is a summary of published literature and is not a recommendation for any use.
