Semax

What it is:

Semax is a synthetic heptapeptide analogue derived from the 4-10 fragment of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), with the sequence Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro. It was developed through research at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences as part of a program examining ACTH fragment analogues with enhanced neurological activity and enzymatic stability profiles. Its C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension, shared with its structural relative Selank, confers resistance to enzymatic degradation and extended biological activity duration compared to native ACTH 4-10. It has been studied in neuropeptide pharmacology research, cognitive biology studies, and neurotrophic factor expression research with a research literature spanning several decades primarily in Eastern European scientific institutions.