Thymogen Nasal Spray
The thymic dipeptide L-Glu-L-Trp as a sterile solution in bacteriostatic water, in a metered spray bottle. Made from a peptide lot tested in the manufacturer’s own laboratory.
| Compound | Thymogen (Glu-Trp dipeptide (EW); oglufanide) |
|---|---|
| CAS number | 38101-59-6 |
| Molecular formula | C16H19N3O5 |
| Contents | Thymogen: 10 mg per bottle (≤ 0.1% w/v) |
| Form | Sterile aqueous solution in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol), supplied in a metered nasal spray bottle |
| Storage, sealed | Store at 2–8 °C, protected from light; do not freeze |
| Format | Solution in a metered nasal spray bottle |
Sizes and lots
- 10 mg · 1 bottle — $58.99
- 10 mg · Kit of 10 — $524.42
Thymogen is the synthetic thymic dipeptide L-Glu-L-Trp from the Khavinson bioregulator programme, originally isolated from the calf thymus extract Thymalin. This listing holds 10 mg of it as a sterile solution in a metered nasal spray bottle. Research on Glu-Trp covers immune-cell activity in the developers' studies, a 2022 cell-line study and, outside Russia, cancer trials of the same dipeptide under the code IM862.
What is in the bottle
The bottle holds 10 mg of Glu-Trp in bacteriostatic water preserved with 0.9% benzyl alcohol, and the safety data sheet puts the dipeptide at no more than 0.1% w/v. The dipeptide is not classified as hazardous. Benzyl alcohol is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, seriously irritates the eyes and may cause an allergic skin reaction.
Keep the bottle upright and capped at 2 to 8 °C, away from light, and never freeze it. Light matters more here than for most peptides, because tryptophan is damaged both directly by ultraviolet radiation and indirectly by singlet oxygen1. More on keeping peptide solutions is in peptide storage and stability.
What the research covers
L-Glu-L-Trp was first isolated from Thymalin by reverse-phase HPLC, and the synthesised dipeptide became the basis of the medicine branded Thymogen2. The developers credited it with activating T-cell differentiation, altering intracellular cyclic nucleotides and stimulating neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytosis2. That account, like the lifelong rat study in the same paper, comes from the developers themselves; in the rats, mean lifespan was unchanged while total and malignant tumours were less frequent2.
The only nasal formulation in this literature is IM862, the same dipeptide developed as an angiogenesis inhibitor. A randomised phase II study gave it as intranasal drops to 44 patients with AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma and described it as well tolerated, with tumour responses3. The placebo-controlled, double-blind phase III trial that followed, in 202 patients, found no significant difference from placebo in response rate and a shorter median time to progression4. Its authors attributed much of the earlier response to concurrent antiretroviral therapy4. Neither trial measured how much of the dipeptide crossed the nasal lining, and both tested a pharmaceutical product in patients, not research material.
Frequently asked questions
Is the spray the same molecule as the Thymogen vial?
Yes, L-Glu-L-Trp with the CAS number and formula shown in the specifications. The vial holds 20 mg of freeze-dried powder kept frozen; the spray holds 10 mg already dissolved in preserved water, kept at 2 to 8 °C and never frozen.
Has Glu-Trp been studied as a nasal spray?
Not as this product. A nasal solution of the same dipeptide, under the code IM862, was tested in cancer trials in patients, summarised in the research section above, and the placebo-controlled trial found no benefit. No study has looked at research-grade Glu-Trp delivered this way.
What does testing cover for the spray?
The peptide lot used to fill the bottle. The finished solution is not tested separately, so the label, the safety data sheet and correct storage away from light describe the contents after filling.
References
- Pattison DI, Rahmanto AS, Davies MJ. Photo-oxidation of proteins. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2012;11(1):38-53. DOI · PubMed
- Anisimov VN, Khavinson VK, Morozov VG. Immunomodulatory synthetic dipeptide L-Glu-L-Trp slows down aging and inhibits spontaneous carcinogenesis in rats. Biogerontology. 2000;1(1):55-9. DOI · PubMed
- Tulpule A, Scadden DT, Espina BM, et al. Results of a randomized study of IM862 nasal solution in the treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. J Clin Oncol. 2000;18(4):716-23. DOI · PubMed
- Noy A, Scadden DT, Lee J, et al. Angiogenesis inhibitor IM862 is ineffective against AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma in a phase III trial, but demonstrates sustained, potent effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy: from the AIDS Malignancy Consortium and IM862 Study Team. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(5):990-8. DOI · PubMed
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. Products have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.