Epithalon
A synthetic tetrapeptide with longevity claims resting almost entirely on work from a single Russian institute. No independent replication and no modern registered trials.
Longevity
FOXO4-DRI
A designed peptide that selectively kills senescent cells in mice, producing striking results in a widely cited 2017 paper. No human data exists.
Overview
Senescent cells have stopped dividing but refuse to die, and they leak inflammatory signals that damage surrounding tissue. They survive partly because a protein called FOXO4 holds p53 — the trigger for cell suicide — captive in the nucleus. FOXO4-DRI is a decoy that breaks that grip, releasing p53 to do its job. Healthy cells are unaffected because they are not relying on that particular arrangement to stay alive.
A D-retro-inverso peptide: the sequence is reversed and built from D-amino acids, giving a molecule that presents the same side-chain topology as the L-peptide while being resistant to proteolysis. Designed to disrupt the FOXO4-p53 interaction that sequesters p53 in the nucleus of senescent cells, permitting p53 nuclear exclusion and mitochondrial apoptosis. In naturally aged, fast-ageing XpdTTD/TTD and chemotherapy-treated mice, administration restored fitness, fur density and renal function. Human pharmacokinetics, dosing and safety are entirely uncharacterised, and systemic release of p53-mediated apoptosis carries obvious unstudied risk.
Research areas
Cellular senescenceSenolyticsAgeing
Dosing reported in the literature
Every protocol below is reproduced from a published study or approved labelling, with its source named. These are records of what was studied — not recommendations, and not a suggestion that any of them is appropriate for any person.
| Protocol as reported | Source |
|---|---|
| Intraperitoneal FOXO4-DRI in three doses per cycle in aged and progeroid mice, with fitness and renal endpointsMouse only. There is no human equivalent dose. | Baar et al., Cell 2017 |
Trial status
Preclinical only. No human trials of any phase.
Reported safety signals
- No human safety data of any kind.
- The mechanism deliberately releases p53-driven apoptosis; the consequences of doing that systemically in a human are unstudied.
- Senescent cells have physiological roles in wound healing and tumour suppression, so clearing them is not unambiguously beneficial.
- Sold through unregulated channels with no verified identity, at prices that make adulteration a real concern.
Common questions
Has anything from the 2017 mouse paper reached human trials?
Not this peptide. Other senolytic approaches — dasatinib plus quercetin, and various navitoclax derivatives — have entered early human trials. FOXO4-DRI has not, and the gap between a striking mouse result and a viable human drug in this field has proven very wide.
Primary sources
Medical disclaimer
This page is for informational and research purposes only. Nothing here constitutes medical advice. The compounds discussed are research chemicals. Consult a qualified clinician before starting any protocol.
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