Description
PrymaLab · Research use only
Preloaded Autoinjector | Thymogen | 3ml Pen | 10mg
Glu-Trp dipeptide in solution, 10 mg in a preloaded 3 mL pen
Thymogen, the dipeptide L-Glu-L-Trp, is a thymic peptide bioregulator from Vladimir Khavinson’s programme, first isolated from the calf thymus extract Thymalin. This listing is a preloaded pen with 10 mg of it in 3 mL of ready-made solution, about 3.3 mg/mL, so there is no powder to dissolve. Studies of Glu-Trp cover immune-cell activity and a lifelong rat study by the developers, as well as cancer trials of the same molecule as IM862.
Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound | Thymogen (Glu-Trp dipeptide (EW); oglufanide) |
| CAS number | 38101-59-6 |
| Molecular formula | C16H19N3O5 |
| Contents | Thymogen: 10 mg per 3 mL pen (0.33% w/v) |
| Form | Sterile aqueous solution in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol), supplied in a 3 mL glass cartridge inside a preloaded autoinjector pen fitted with a needle |
| Storage, sealed | Store at 2–8 °C in the original carton, protected from light |
| Safety data sheet | PL-SDS-170 |
What is in the pen
Each pen holds a 3 mL glass cartridge of clear, colourless to faintly yellow sterile solution. The safety data sheet lists Glu-Trp at 0.33% w/v, 10 mg per pen, in bacteriostatic water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol as an antimicrobial preservative. The dipeptide is not classified as hazardous; benzyl alcohol is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, a serious eye irritant and a possible skin sensitiser.
Store the pen at 2 to 8 °C in its original carton, protected from light, and keep it capped once in use. It must not be frozen; a pen whose solution has frozen, discoloured or turned cloudy should be discarded. The same dipeptide is sold freeze-dried as the Thymogen 20 mg vial, and peptide pen vs vial sets out the general differences between the formats.
Why light and time matter in solution
Two parts of Glu-Trp are open to change in water. Its tryptophan is the residue most easily damaged by light: ultraviolet radiation attacks it directly and singlet oxygen indirectly1. That is why the carton matters. Its N-terminal glutamate can also close into pyroglutamate, a reaction that in antibody studies ran slowest near pH 6.2 and faster at pH 4 and 8, and became detectable after a few weeks at 37 to 45 °C2. No study has measured either reaction for Glu-Trp in the pen’s solution, so the cold, dark storage on the safety data sheet is the limit to follow.
What the research covers
Glu-Trp was isolated from Thymalin by reverse-phase HPLC, synthesised, and developed into the medicine later branded Thymogen3. Its developers reported that it activates T-cell differentiation and the recognition of peptide-MHC complexes, shifts intracellular cyclic nucleotides and stimulates neutrophil chemotaxis and phagocytosis3. In their lifelong study of female rats, mean lifespan did not differ from controls, while the longest-lived animals survived longer and tumours were less frequent overall3. A 2022 cell-line study found that Thymogen, like four other Khavinson peptides, damped TNF and IL-6 expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated, macrophage-like THP-1 cells4. That study used a single leukaemia-derived cell line and saw much the same response to all five peptides, so it does not single out Glu-Trp4.
Western development of the same dipeptide as IM862 did not succeed in the cancers tested: a placebo-controlled phase III trial in AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma found no improvement in response rate5. Its authors put much of the response seen in earlier work without a placebo group down to the antiretroviral therapy patients were also receiving5. None of these studies used a preloaded solution, and none measured how long Glu-Trp keeps in water. The Thymogen guide covers the wider literature, including the cyclic nucleotide and tumour-model work.
How each lot is tested
Every lot is tested in PrymaLab’s own laboratory in Ashland, Kentucky before release: RP-HPLC for purity, LC-MS for identity, Karl Fischer titration for water, LAL for endotoxin and USP <71> for sterility. Published certificates are listed on the results page and can be checked by number and key on the verify page. The certificate covers the peptide lot used to fill the pen, not the finished solution. These are in-house results from PrymaLab Analytical, not an independent test, and the lab is not accredited to ISO 17025. The third-party testing guarantee on this page still applies: if any independent laboratory finds the wrong compound, or less than the stated purity or amount, the order is refunded and the cost of the test is reimbursed.
Frequently asked questions
How does the pen differ from the Thymogen vial?
The vial holds 20 mg of freeze-dried Glu-Trp kept at −20 °C, dry and dark. The pen holds 10 mg already dissolved in 3 mL of preserved water and is kept at 2 to 8 °C in its carton. Dry powder protects the tryptophan and the free glutamate; the pen trades that for a ready, fixed concentration.
What does testing cover for the pen?
The peptide lot used to fill the pen is tested, not the finished solution in the cartridge. The testing section on this page lists the methods and where published certificates can be checked by number and key.
Why does the pen have to stay in its carton?
Because tryptophan is the amino acid most open to damage by light, both directly from ultraviolet and through singlet oxygen. The safety data sheet asks for storage protected from light, and the carton provides that between uses.
Is the pen for human use?
No. It is a laboratory research product with no approval from the FDA or any other regulator for human or veterinary use. Nothing on this page describes using it in people or animals.
References
- Pattison DI, Rahmanto AS, Davies MJ. Photo-oxidation of proteins. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2012;11(1):38-53. DOI · PubMed
- Chelius D, Jing K, Lueras A, et al. Formation of pyroglutamic acid from N-terminal glutamic acid in immunoglobulin gamma antibodies. Anal Chem. 2006;78(7):2370-6. 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
- Avolio F, Martinotti S, Khavinson VK, et al. Peptides Regulating Proliferative Activity and Inflammatory Pathways in the Monocyte/Macrophage THP-1 Cell Line. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(7). 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
Research use only
For laboratory research use only. This product is not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement, is not approved by the FDA or any comparable authority for human or veterinary use, and must not be given to people or animals. It is sold to qualified researchers and institutions, and the buyer is responsible for lawful handling and disposal.
Other formats of Thymogen
Thymogen is also stocked as Thymogen 10mg Nasal Spray. Each listing states its own quantity and concentration, and the pen and vial comparison explains what changes between formats.
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