Semax
Stocked in 10mg, 30mg at MontanaPep in Great Falls, Montana. Sold for laboratory research use only.
| Size | Catalog no. | Price per vial |
|---|---|---|
| 10mg | XA10 | $25 |
| 30mg | XA30 | $50 |
Classification
Synthetic ACTH(4-7) analogue, registered as a medicine in Russia only
Structure and chemistry
Semax is a heptapeptide with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro (MEHFPGP). Its N-terminal four residues reproduce the ACTH(4-7) fragment — the core carrying the neurotrophic activity of adrenocorticotropic hormone — while the C-terminal tripeptide Pro-Gly-Pro is a stabilizing addition that resists the serum carboxypeptidases which degrade the native fragment within minutes. The name derives from the Russian for “seven amino acids.”
What the published research shows
Published research includes rodent studies of BDNF/trkB and monoamine signalling, rat models of cerebral ischemia (transient middle cerebral artery occlusion), and two Russian human clinical studies in ischemic stroke. Both human studies were non-randomized and lacked placebo control, and neither has been independently replicated outside Russia.
Mechanism of action
Semax retains the neurotrophic and CNS activity of the ACTH(4-7) core without the steroidogenic, adrenal-stimulating activity of full-length ACTH. Rodent work indicates it upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its trkB receptor and modulates dopaminergic and serotonergic systems; ischemia models report reduced infarct-associated inflammatory gene expression.
Development history
Developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, in a program led by Academicians Nikolai F. Myasoedov and Igor P. Ashmarin, beginning in the late 1970s-early 1980s. The design brief was explicit: preserve the ACTH(4-7) pharmacophore while defeating the enzymes that destroy it.
Current regulatory status
Semax is a prescription medicine in Russia only — registered there as an intranasal solution (0.1% and 1% formulations) and included on the Russian List of Vital and Essential Drugs. It has never been approved by the FDA, the EMA, or any regulator outside Russia, and there is no Western clinical-trial program. Catalog material sold as Semax is a research-grade item and should not be treated as equivalent to the Russian registered drug product.
Analytical testing
The exact modified sequence should be matched to a certified reference standard by mass spectrometry; HPLC area percentage alone does not establish sequence identity or net peptide content.
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.