Head to head
ARA-290 against Erythropoietin
A peptide built from erythropoietin that keeps the tissue-protective signalling and drops the red cell effect, next to the hormone it came from. That separation matters because EPO carries a boxed warning covering death, myocardial infarction, stroke and thrombosis when haemoglobin is pushed toward normal.
Column A
ARA-290Cibinetide (ARA-290)
An EPO-derived peptide that activates tissue-protective repair signaling without raising red blood cells, studied for nerve pain in sarcoidosis.
Column B
ErythropoietinErythropoietin (EPO), epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa
The kidney hormone that drives red cell production, approved since 1989 for anaemia. Three randomised trials that pushed haemoglobin toward normal found harm rather than benefit, including a doubling of stroke in 4,038 people, and every product now carries a boxed warning.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| Attribute | ARA-290 | Erythropoietin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Healing & Recovery | Hormone |
| FDA status | Investigational, not FDA-approved | FDA approved since 1989 for anaemia, with boxed warnings. Verified on 11 September 2026: EPOGEN and PROCRIT (epoetin alfa, BLA 103234) approved 1 June 1989; ARANESP (darbepoetin alfa, BLA 103951) approved 17 September 2001; MIRCERA (BLA 125164) approved 14 November 2007; RETACRIT (BLA 125545) approved 15 May 2018. All listed Prescription. The boxed warning covers increased death, myocardial infarction, stroke, venous thromboembolism, vascular access thrombosis and tumour progression or recurrence. |
| Half-life | Short | 4 to 13 hours |
| Molecular weight | ~1,257 Da | Not reported |
| Mechanism | Selectively activates the innate repair receptor to drive tissue protection and nerve repair without stimulating red blood cell production. | In humans, erythropoietin binds the EPO receptor on erythroid progenitor cells, signalling through JAK2 and STAT5 to prevent apoptosis and drive proliferation, which raises red cell mass over days to weeks. The same signalling raises blood viscosity and platelet reactivity, which is the accepted explanation for the thrombotic and stroke risk seen in the normalisation trials. EPO receptors have been described outside the marrow, including in brain tissue, which is the rationale for the neuroprotection literature; that literature has not produced an approved indication in people. |
| Human studies cited | 3 | 4 |
| Legal status, US | Investigational, not approved | FDA-approved, prescription only |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ARA-290 and Erythropoietin?
ARA-290: An EPO-derived peptide that activates tissue-protective repair signaling without raising red blood cells, studied for nerve pain in sarcoidosis. Erythropoietin: The kidney hormone that drives red cell production, approved since 1989 for anaemia. Three randomised trials that pushed haemoglobin toward normal found harm rather than benefit, including a doubling of stroke in 4,038 people, and every product now carries a boxed warning.
Which has stronger research evidence, ARA-290 or Erythropoietin?
This database does not grade compounds. It counts what was run in people: 3 of the 4 studies cited on the ARA-290 profile were human work, against 4 of 7 for Erythropoietin. Those counts are of our own citation lists and understate any larger literature, and neither is a recommendation.
Are ARA-290 and Erythropoietin FDA-approved?
ARA-290: Investigational, not FDA-approved. Erythropoietin: FDA approved since 1989 for anaemia, with boxed warnings. Verified on 11 September 2026: EPOGEN and PROCRIT (epoetin alfa, BLA 103234) approved 1 June 1989; ARANESP (darbepoetin alfa, BLA 103951) approved 17 September 2001; MIRCERA (BLA 125164) approved 14 November 2007; RETACRIT (BLA 125545) approved 15 May 2018. All listed Prescription. The boxed warning covers increased death, myocardial infarction, stroke, venous thromboembolism, vascular access thrombosis and tumour progression or recurrence..
Reviewed Sep 2026. This page sets two published records side by side. It is educational, it is not medical advice, and it contains no dosing protocols or recommendations for personal use.