The nice thing is if you wait, it looks like rapadmin might be finding a much more affordable option!
For clarity, I am not sure how much this is helping my memory. It might be, but for me, it’s much more about focus/clarity and functioning as if I had a normal brain :).
I will update you if anything changes. (And yeah, I am HOPING RLT is doing some good… inside or for vanity reasons. I’ll take what I can get… worst case is I find it very relaxing as Desert Shores says.
NEEDHAM, Mass., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – Stealth BioTherapeutics Inc. (the “Company” or “Stealth”), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapies for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction, today provided an update on the Company’s commercial and R&D progress and highlighted 2026 strategic priorities.
“Since receiving accelerated approval for FORZINITY in September, we’ve built a robust commercial foundation and are working closely with prescribers and payers to ensure access for eligible patients with Barth syndrome,” said Reenie McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer of Stealth BioTherapeutics. “As we continue development efforts for younger affected individuals as well as for individuals living with primary mitochondrial disease and dry AMD, we remain committed to accelerating innovation across our pipeline to address urgent unmet needs in rare and age-related diseases of mitochondrial dysfunction.”
Commercial Update:
FORZINITY is currently commercially available for eligible US patients living with BTHS, a rare, serious and life-threatening mitochondrial disease.
Research & Development Update:
In parallel with commercial execution, the Company continues to advance its development of elamipretide and other mitochondria-targeted pipeline compounds for diseases of mitochondrial dysfunction.
| Feature | Elamipretide (1st Gen) | Bevemipretide (2nd Gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | FDA-approved for Barth syndrome (Sept 2025). | In Phase 1/2 clinical development. |
| Primary Route | Subcutaneous (SC) injection. | Topical (eye drops) or Oral. |
| Potency | Standard; requires higher systemic doses. | Higher potency and better tissue penetration. |
| Brain Penetration | Limited. | Optimized for Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) crossing. |
| Target Organs | Heart, skeletal muscle, retina. | Central Nervous System (CNS) and retina. |
(Comparison of bevemipretide with SS-31)
Bevemipretide is a second-generation peptidomimetic designed to rectify the pharmacological shortcomings of its predecessor, elamipretide (SS-31). While both molecules belong to the Szeto-Schiller peptide family, bevemipretide is not a simple analog; it is a structural redesign optimized for increased lipophilicity and blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration.
Bevemipretide is a modified tripeptide. Its design utilizes a scaffold of alternating cationic and aromatic residues to facilitate mitochondrial membrane targeting.
| Feature | Elamipretide (SS-31) | Bevemipretide (SBT-272) |
|---|---|---|
| Peptide Class | Tetrapeptide | Modified Tripeptide |
| Molecular Weight | 639.8 g/mol | 607.8 g/mol |
| C-Terminal Group | Phenylalanine amide | Benzyl-oxadiazole |
| LogP (Lipophilicity) | Lower | Higher |
| Primary Limitation | Poor CNS penetration; injection only | Designed for CNS; oral potential |
The exact molecular design is intended to facilitate a high-affinity interaction with cardiolipin, a unique phospholipid found exclusively in the inner mitochondrial membrane.
When mitochondria are stressed, cardiolipin undergoes peroxidation and migrates to the outer membrane, triggering the formation of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore (mPTP) and eventual cell death (apoptosis). Bevemipretide’s cationic (positive) charge attracts it to the anionic (negative) cardiolipin. The aromatic side chains then “anchor” the molecule, stabilizing the cristae structure and preventing the cytochrome c release that leads to neurodegeneration.
SBT-272, a novel mitochondrial candidate for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Date: March 2020
Source: Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Conference Abstract
Note: This technical poster details the structural advantages of SBT-272 over SS-31 regarding brain-to-plasma ratios.
Mitochondria-targeted therapy with elamipretide and bevemipretide
Date: June 2024 (Updated)
Note: Direct confirmation of the clinical transition from elamipretide to bevemipretide for CNS indications.
Discovery of SBT-272: A Second-Generation Mitochondrial Targeting Peptide
Date: 2021
Note: Provides pharmacokinetic data showing bevemipretide achieves significantly higher neuronal concentrations than first-generation peptides.
I’m sure this is clearly stated in the above posts, but I’ll don’t quite get it, so I’ll ask… I think this is saying SBT 272 is (sort of) a form of SS-31… meaning, it’s not just from the same company but perhaps they altered SS-31 to create it? Is it similar in concept to the way we have different GLP1s, and the different companies have improved upon the first generation?
My grandmother had ALS and my mom had PD so reading this about SBT 272 just brought a happy tear to my eye.
It’s a new and improved cardiolipin stabilizer, not just modified SS-31 but a new molecule with enhanced penetration into the central nervous system and improved bioavailability overall (maybe even orally bioavailable). Sounds like it has great potential if it lives up to the expectations!
N=1
I’ve mentioned (RAVED) about feeling better after having started SS-31.
I began using it after my last CGM expired, which was on 12/10. I started a new cgm on 1/19.
I noticed on 1/20 my glucose was really even most of the day, but I wrote that off to knowing the first 24 hours of a new cgm is often not reliable.
I don’t expect anyone to remember, but I’m one who spikes by just looking at food, although it’s dramatically better now that I’m taking dapagliflozin and acarbose. Prior to these drugs, I’d easily go between 170-225, daily
Yesterday I made tofu ‘ricotta’ stuffed shells (white pasta as a treat!). I had it for lunch and when I saw the lack of scary results on my CGM, I felt emboldened to have it for dinner, too. Once again, my glucose was not spikey.
I AI’d and read that this could potentially be a result of good ol’ SS-31!
AI said the effects could potentially last for weeks, which is relevant because I have not had any for a couple of days (I need to brew a new batch)
I share these caveats because I think this is all too good to be true…
-I can’t be sure there is a direct correlation.
-It’s way too early to share this info because one day does not make a trend, but I’m too excited to be patient.
I won’t know if I am wearing an accurate cgm until I wear a different one.
-I started taking SunFiber mid Dec (apparently that can assist)
-Over the last few weeks, I’m working a lot harder at my two training sessions… he says that can help.
-AI lies to me all the time so it might be ridiculous that I think this could be from SS-31 
White pasta day… still not convinced this could possibly be me.
First 24 hours with this CGM, so grain of salt
DEC, prior to SS-31
Update:
With the previously mentioned CGM, I only had one post prandial spike that went above 140. It was on day 14 when I got cocky and baked sweet potato ‘fries’ and dipped them in ketchup.
I’m only a couple days into my new CGM, but it’s still showing that my post prandial glucose spikes continue to be very controlled. This leads me to believe my last CGM was not a dud.
I’m doing more AI’g today because the past two nights I spent a lot of time below 54 mg/dl which has never happened. In doing so, it turns out my newly added Sun Fiber might also be contributing to not having crazy spikes. It says it might reduce them up to 50%!
I’m so curious to know if anyone taking sun fiber uses a cgm and is seeing the same. Of course I could stop taking ss-31 and sun fiber to test this out, but if it ain’t broke, I don’t want to fix.
I guess tonight I will eat nuts before bed to see if it helps with my glucose dips (I loathe eating before bed, but not really sure what else to try)
Perplexity:
I’m very intrigued by this peptide and the data behind it. I’m potentially interested in trying it out (I suspect a trail of 3 months, perhaps 5 days a week would be a good test run). But, I’m very disappointed in the state of the grey market for peptides; questionable quality, not much testing, lose standards, and high prices.
I’m interested in testing 5mg to 20mg per day, so I’d like to get a total of 500mg to 2 grams total for my test project. Price quotes I’m getting from un-validated suppliers seem to be in the $200 to $350 per gram range, but these are just initial quotes, and not in the 5mg to 20mg individual use vials that people typically use.
What I would like to see is a moderately priced product with solid testing from a good lab, on:
It seems like the only way to do this may be some sort of “group buy”. So, I’m doing some research on this approach.
Before I put much effort into this, I’m just curious if there would be interest in something like this here. I have no idea how it would work right now, but please respond to the survey below to let me know if this might be the type of thing I should look into more:
0 voters
As you know, I’m forever committed to using this stuff.
If it gets tested by a highly respected and trusted source, and as long as it’s less expensive than the $215 for 300mg I’m paying now (enough so that it’s worth the bother), I’m definitely in for the long run.
I almost pulled the trigger couple days ago. unfortunately, I decided to pass even though this one does look very intriguing. I checked on Reddit and elsewhere and it was about 20-30% of people saying they did not get anything from it (probably nonresponders like me), and since my experience with peps has not impressed me, I’m going to sit this one out. I would love to see few new users in here (not just one or two) and hopefully then we will know for sure if there will be benefits from it.
Just to help with price comparisons, there were group buys last summer with 55mg vials in 10-vial kits for $275. I think that’s the best I’ve seen.
I’ve been using a kit over the course over 20 days (~27mg/day) every six months. The first cycle seemed to have general health improvements that I’m unable to quantity in any meaningful way. Later rounds have been less dramatic.
The problem with using any kind of supplement/drug/peptide for preventive purposes is how do you measure responder vs non-responder? Judging by “the feels” is often fruitless and confounded by the placebo effect. How many people are taking rapamycin for anti-aging purposes and don’t “feel” anything? Probably most, I’d wager, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not working or that the person is a non-responder.
Like RapAdmin I’ve been looking into SS-31. The pricing by grey market suppliers selling this in kits of 10 vials seems rather expensive. This is a simple peptide molecule that should be easy to manufacture. I would expect pricing to be much lower if we could eliminate all the middlemen and source directly from a manufacturer. Testing of peptides is another problem area. I haven’t seen anyone offering testing for latent solvents which is the most likely contaminant. My research into dosing seems to indicate that 15-20 mg/day is likely needed to maximize results. The experience from the Barth syndrome studies seems to indicate it can take years for all the benefits of treatment to accumulate from reversing mitochondrial dysfunction. Put those two together and you start needing pretty large quantities to properly evaluate its effectiveness. So I’d definitely be interested in joining the group buy, quantity TBD based on pricing.
Great video as usual from MK. HE is definitely emerging as the best no BS doc on antiaging field out there.
To be fair to the other peptides LOL I have tried few of them, more like 15-20 and I never noticed any adverse effect (other than GLP1’s). My beef was that I didn’t notice any positives either (again other than GLP1’s and maybe one or two others), and some people on the web platforms were making it sound as if when you take them, you’ll have instantaneous benefits, especially with recovery and body pains and aches. That is absolutely not the case, and I don’t care who says otherwise. Clearly, I’ve heard MK and others now starting to burst that exaggerated peptide bubble. From my experience with peps for last three years and supplements for last 15 years, I am 100% in agreement with what MK says/recommends on both these categories. I am a bit more willing (than him) to venture into the unknown for some of the sups and meds. I’m not touching peps until much more credible evidence comes out for them.
FWIW, I don’t notice any different in body aches pains from SS-31. I do notice the differences I previously mentioned.
I also had a noticeable effect from rapamycin and many don’t feel it at all.
I wonder if things like these, even if they are silently doing good things for our healt, are only noticeable to those who have something to fix.
Rapa snapped me out of my lifelong insomnia, but if I didn’t have insomnia, I wouldn’t have noticed anything. I do generally feel significantly better since starting rapa, but I attribute that to the benefits of sleep.
If I didn’t have glucose issues or ADD, there is probably nothing I would feel from SS-31 either. Of course it could be placebo and I’m here for it!
I have no idea about the validity of this theory, but it makes sense to me. ?
PS neither my husband nor I am seeing any difference in our sleep from DSIP. I do sleep like a baby, but that has been happening since Rapa and then the addition of LDN. Because of that, he only thing I was looking for was an increase in my deep sleep. It’s the same… give or take an hour each night…
Ditto to that, but I don’t sleep like a baby, far from it actually. Sleep is my only nemesis with regards to longevity and health, and I have tried everything under the sun, with absolutely no effect or some effect few nights and then still the same. I have some Dayvigo but haven’t tried it. I am still trying to stay away from the sleep meds and seeing If I can find something more natural to fix it. I can never sleep more than 5 hours uninterrupted, and I have to wake up and stay awake for 3-4 hours and then maybe if I’m lucky get another hour or so sleep in the early mornings. Last night I tried for first time Sibutramine 400mgs and did sleep really well for a nice 7;20 minutes uninterrupted but there’s a caveat that the night before was one the worst with only 4 hours so maybe I was supper tired and the good sleep (last night) had nothing to do with Sibutramine.
