Home / Healing & recovery / ARA-290 (cibinetide)
ArHuman trials

ARA-290 (cibinetide)

ARA-290 (also called cibinetide) is a lab-made peptide designed to switch on a body receptor linked to repair and calming inflammation. Phase 2 trials in people with sarcoidosis nerve damage have finished. It is not an approved medicine.

Not approved as a medicine by the US FDAPhase 2 and 2b trials completed in sarcoidosis nerve damageFDA compounding list: nominated without adequate support (Category 3, May 2026)
OverviewDosingMixingResearchCommunitySafetyFAQSources

ARA-290 (cibinetide) quick reference

Type11-amino-acid EPO-derived peptide
Studied forSmall-fibre nerve damage
EvidencePhase 2 human trials
RouteInjection under the skin
Half-lifeNot established

What is ARA-290 (cibinetide)?

Engineered from a piece of erythropoietin (EPO).

Aimed at nerve repair and calmer inflammation, without raising red cells.

Phase 2 trials are done; not an approved medicine.

How ARA-290 (cibinetide) works

Innate repair receptor

Activates the EPO/CD131 receptor tied to tissue protection.

No red-cell boost

Designed to avoid the receptor that builds red blood cells.

Nerve fibre regrowth

Corneal nerve fibre area rose after 28 days in trials.

Kidney protection (pigs)

Improved kidney function after blocked blood flow in pigs.

What ARA-290 (cibinetide) is studied for

PeopleSarcoidosis nerve loss

64 people: 4 mg daily raised corneal nerve fibre area.

PeopleNeuropathic symptoms

Symptoms improved versus placebo over 28 days (blinded trial).

PeopleType 2 diabetes

4 mg daily for 28 days: better HbA1c and neuropathy scores.

PeopleDiabetic eye swelling

Trial ended early with 9 people; no results.

AnimalsKidney injury

Better kidney function after blood-flow loss in pigs.

ARA-290 (cibinetide) dosing protocol

TrialAmount and schedule
Phase 2b, sarcoidosis nerve loss (64 people)1, 4 or 8 mg under the skin every day for 28 days
Pilot, sarcoidosis (22 people)2 mg by vein, 3 times a week for 4 weeks
Diabetic eye swelling (NCT06626971)4 mg under the skin every day for 12 weeks; ended early with 9 people

Culver 2017 / NCT02039687 (phase 2b), Heij 2012 (pilot), NCT06626971 (Belfast investigator-led, terminated). Only the 4 mg arm clearly beat placebo on the main nerve measure.

PHASE 2B TRIAL1, 4 or 8 mg daily, 28 daysTrial
BEST ARM4 mg daily under the skinTrial
DIABETES PHASE 24 mg daily, 28 daysTrial
PILOT (22 PEOPLE)2 mg IV, 3 times weekly, 4 weeksTrial
COMMUNITY START2 mg daily, week 1Community
COMMUNITY STEP-UP4 mg daily, weeks 2–4Community

Label and trial amounts come from the sources below. Community amounts are what people report; they have not been tested.

Mixing

Vial10 mg
+
BAC water1 mL
=
Strength10 mg per mL

Trials used a buffered solution. Plain bacteriostatic water is not equivalent.

Open the peptide calculator

What the research found

Phase 2b trial, 64 people with sarcoidosis and nerve pain, 28 days. What was measured: gain in nerve fibre area in the cornea, compared with placebo.

+697 µm²4 mg a day (statistically significant)
+431 µm²8 mg a day (not significant)
+109 µm²1 mg a day (not significant)
64people in the trial

Culver DA et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017 (PMID 28475703), ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02039687. Pain improved in all groups including placebo; the gain over placebo in people with moderate to severe pain was not statistically significant (P = 0.157).

ARA-290 (cibinetide) community experience

What users report. Not tested in trials.

Positive reports

  • Less burning Neuropathy users report less burning and tingling in 1–2 weeks.
  • Quick relief Some feel relief within hours but need daily dosing to keep it.
  • Better function Walking tolerance and daily mobility improve gradually.

Negative & mixed

  • Injection sting Mild sting or irritation at the site.
  • Little change Long-standing or severe neuropathy often responds poorly.
  • Varies by cause Response depends on neuropathy type and duration.

ARA-290 (cibinetide) stacking

ARA-290 + BPC-157/TB-500

Different repair routes. Not studied together.

ARA-290 + KPV

Nerve repair plus inflammation idea. Not studied together.

ARA-290 (cibinetide) side effects & safety

Common

  • Phase 2b: nausea and diarrhoea in a few people in every arm.
  • Phase 2b: 3 serious events, all in the 1 mg and 8 mg arms.
  • User reports: injection-site sting or redness.
  • User reports: headache, dizziness or tiredness.

Less common

  • Safety beyond a few weeks of use is unknown.
  • The diabetic eye trial ended early; no reason stated.
  • Long-term effects on nerves and tissues are unstudied.

Precautions

  • Avoid in pregnancy or breastfeeding; no data.
  • Active cancer: growth-factor-type concern, unstudied.
  • Kidney or liver disease: little data in these groups.
  • Known allergy to peptide products.

Our verdict on ARA-290 (cibinetide)

Best human data in this group for nerve damage. Trials are small, short and not approved.

ARA-290 (cibinetide) FAQ

Is ARA-290 the same as EPO?

No. It is a piece designed to avoid red-cell effects.

Is ARA-290 approved?

No. It is investigational.

What dose worked in trials?

4 mg daily for 28 days gave the clearest nerve-fibre gain.

Does it treat neuropathy?

Early trials improved symptoms. Pain gain over placebo was not significant in the larger trial.

Sources

  • Culver DA et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017 (cibinetide phase 2b), PMID 28475703
  • ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02039687 (Araim Pharmaceuticals, results posted)
  • Heij L et al. Mol Med 2012 (pilot), PMID 23168581
  • Dahan A et al. Mol Med 2013, PMID 24136731
  • ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06626971 (diabetic macular oedema, terminated)
  • FDA 503A bulk drug substances list (Category 3: Cibinetide (ARA-290)), updated May 14 2026
  • Brines M et al. Mol Med 2015 (ARA 290 in type 2 diabetes), PMID 25387363
  • Brines M et al. PNAS 2004 (EPO and CD131 tissue-protection receptor), PMID 15456912
  • van Rijt WG et al. J Transl Med 2013 (ARA290 in pig kidney injury), PMID 23302512
  • ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02039687 adverse-event tables (phase 2b)