PEG-MGF
Stocked in 2ml vials at MontanaPep in Great Falls, Montana. Sold for laboratory research use only.
| Size | Catalog no. | Price per vial |
|---|---|---|
| 2ml vials | PEGMGF | $45 |
Classification
PEGylated synthetic E-domain peptide; entirely preclinical, no human data
Structure and chemistry
MGF, mechano growth factor, is not a separate gene product but a splice variant of IGF-1 — designated IGF-1Ec in humans and IGF-1Eb in rodents. A 49-base-pair insert in exon 5 (52 bp in rat and rabbit) shifts the reading frame, producing a distinct 24-amino-acid C-terminal E-domain peptide. That 24-residue E-peptide, with polyethylene glycol attached, is what is sold as PEG-MGF. The PEGylation is the whole engineering point: native MGF has a half-life of roughly five to seven minutes, and attaching PEG shields it from proteases and extends that to hours.
What the published research shows
All of the mechanistic work is preclinical — cell culture and rodent studies. There are no human clinical trials of MGF or PEG-MGF, and FDA has stated explicitly that it identified no human exposure data for PEG-MGF by any route of administration. The underlying muscle biology is credible and comes from a serious academic group; the translation to a usable human product simply has not been done.
Mechanism of action
In the model developed by the Goldspink group, mechanical loading first shifts IGF-1 gene splicing toward MGF, driving an early proliferative phase, and then toward IGF-1Ea, driving differentiation. The E-peptide activates satellite cells — muscle stem cells — to re-enter the cell cycle and proliferate before differentiation begins. One notable finding: in cell culture the synthetic E-peptide increased myoblast proliferation while delaying fusion, and the effect was not blocked by an antibody to the IGF-1 receptor. That implies MGF acts through a receptor that has never been identified.
Development history
MGF was characterized by Geoffrey Goldspink and Shi Yu Yang at University College London in a series of papers from the late 1990s onward, working from the observation that mechanically loaded muscle produces an IGF-1 isoform distinct from the liver form. PEG-MGF is a later engineering modification of the isolated E-peptide, not part of the original academic work.
Current regulatory status
PEG-MGF is not approved by the FDA or any regulator, has no pharmacopeial monograph, and has never been evaluated in a human clinical trial. Pegylated mechano growth factor was nominated to FDA’s bulk drug substances list for pharmacy compounding; the nomination was withdrawn.
Analytical testing
Two things need verifying that a purity percentage does not cover. First, the underlying 24-residue sequence should be confirmed by mass spectrometry — note that the human (IGF-1Ec) and rodent (IGF-1Eb) E-domain sequences differ, so species origin matters. Second, PEGylation itself is a variable: PEG chain length, attachment site and degree of conjugation all differ between products and all change pharmacokinetics. A product labelled simply “PEG-MGF” without those specifications is underspecified.
Ordering from Great Falls
MontanaPep, also known as Montana Peptides, is an independently owned supplier based at 715 13th Ave S, Great Falls, Montana. Local pickup is available by arrangement, and we ship to research addresses across Montana including Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Helena, Butte, Kalispell and Havre. Call (406) 799-0812 or email customerservice@montanapep.com.