ARA 290

Potential Benefits of ARA 290

• Promotes tissue repair [1-18]
• Relieves neuropathic pain [9, 14, 19-35]
• Fights diabetes [11, 15, 36-43]
• Boosts immune function [44-54]

What is ARA 290?

ARA 290, also known as cibinetide, is an 11–amino acid peptide that has potent tissue-protective and tissue-regenerative properties. It is called “nonhematopoietic peptide” because ARA 290 exerts its beneficial effects without stimulating erythropoesis or red blood cell production. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that by selectively interacting with the innate repair receptor, ARA 290 mediates tissue protection.

How ARA 290 Works

ARA 290 is designed from the structure of erythropoietin. It mediates tissue protection by selectively interacting with the innate repair receptor. This in turn stimulates tissue repair and decreases inflammation and apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Chemical Structure of ARA 290

Research on ARA 290

Promotes Tissue Repair

By selectively interacting with the innate repair receptor, ARA 290 exerts its regenerative effects on different body tissues. Strong scientific evidence supports its benefits on various forms of tissue injuries:

1. In animal models of kidney injury associated with lack of blood (ischemia), the intravenous injection of ARA 290 improved kidney function and reduced structural damage. [1-2]
2. In mice with deep partial-thickness cutaneous burn injury, ARA 290 mitigated the innate inflammatory response and decreased the burn depth area. [3]
3. In mice, ARA 290 administration protected against rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury. [4]
4. A 2018 mice study published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine also found that ARA 290 prevents programmed cell death (apoptosis) of kidney cells. [5]
5. In a rat model of inflammatory pain, ARA 290 induced regeneration of nerve fibers. [6]
6. In mice, ARA 290 protected islets of the pancreas from cytokine-induced damage and apoptosis. [7]
7. In rats, ARA 290 protected against early renal allograft injury (tissue damage associated with a kidney transplant) by reducing macrophage infiltration. [8]
8. In patients with sarcoidosis-associated small nerve fiber loss, ARA 290 stimulated eye tissue repair by increasing corneal nerve fiber density. [9]
9. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Molecular Medicine found that nonerythropoietic tissue protective compounds such as ARA 290 are highly effective facilitators of wound healing. [10]
10. In rats with spinal cord injury, ARA 290 treatment resulted in increased activity of the cells of the spinal cord. [11]
11. In rats with nerve inflammation, ARA 290 treatment suppressed inflammation and exhibited tissue protection. [12]
12. In mouse cells, ARA 290 restored tissue homeostasis by modulating pro-inflammatory signaling pathways. [13]
13. In a model of retinal ischemia (insufficient blood flow to the eye), ARA 290 prolonged cell survival and enhanced repair of blood vessels. [14]
14. A cell study found that ARA 290 stimulated the survival and repair of cells involved in blood vessel regeneration. [15]
15. In mice, ARA 290 suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines, thus, prolonging the survival of transplanted islet cells. [16]
16. A study reported that ARA 290 can help speed up wound healing by reducing inflammation and cell death. [17]
17. In mice with diabetic wounds, daily injections with ARA 290 improved angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), scar strength, and time to complete wound closure. [18]

Relieves Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is often debilitating because it presents as a shooting or burning pain. Sometimes, it can resolve on its own but is usually chronic in nature. In worst cases, it comes and goes and can significantly alter one’s quality of life. Interestingly, there is an overwhelming body of clinical evidence suggesting that ARA 290 can offer long-term relief for neuropathic pain associated with nerve damage or a malfunctioning nervous system:

1. A 2016 study published in the Peptides journal found that ARA 290-mediated analgesic effect is achieved by blocking or influencing receptors in pain sensation. [14]
2. In mice, ARA 290 relieved capsaicin-induced mechanical allodynia by inhibiting capsaicin-evoked TRPV1 channel activity, a modulator of nerve inflammation and pain sensation. [19]
3. In patients with type 2 diabetes who are suffering from neuropathic symptoms, ARA 290 showed significant potential for the treatment of diabetic small fiber neuropathy. [20]
4. In patients with neuropathic pain related to sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease affecting multiple body organs, ARA 290 significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life. [9, 21-25]
5. A 2016 study published in the Pain Reports journal found that ARA 290 treats neuropathic pain by effectively reprogramming the pro-inflammatory and tissue-damaging process into healing and tissue repair. [26]
6. In a rat neuritis (nerve inflammation) model, ARA 290 prevented the development of mechanical allodynia (increased pain sensitivity to non-painful stimuli). [27]
7. In a mouse model of diabetic neuropathy, ARA 290 induced repair of small autonomic nerve fibers within the sympathetic ganglia (nerve cell bodies along the spinal cord). [28]
8. In mice with pain associated with sciatic nerve injury, ARA 290 prevented the development of mechanical allodynia. [29]
9. In rats, weekly injections with ARA290 produced long-term relief of neuropathic pain. [30]
10. In mice with spinal cord injury, ARA 290 reduced neuropathic pain by suppressing spinal inflammatory mediators such as CCL2. [31]
11. In a murine model, ARA 290 reduced neuropathic pain by reducing the levels of the inflammatory substance TNF-α. [32]
12. Studies found that ARA 290 relieved neuropathic pain in patients with sarcoidosis by improving corneal nerve fiber abundance. [33-34]
13. In rats and mice with peripheral nerve injury, ARA 290 produced significant relief of allodynia. [35]

Fights Diabetes

Evidence also suggests that ARA290 possesses potent anti-diabetic properties that can be beneficial in patients with diabetes mellitus and chronically elevated blood sugar levels:

1. In animal models of diabetic neuropathy, ARA 290 improved blood sugar levels by reducing the underlying inflammation. [11]
2. In patients with type 2 diabetes, ARA 290 administration at a dose of 4 mg daily for 28 days resulted in a significant improvement in hemoglobin A1c. [15]
3. In diabetic patients, ARA 290 administration restored glucose homeostasis (blood sugar balance). [36]
4. A study found that ARA 290 promotes glucose homeostasis by targeting the innate repair receptor. [37]
5. In individuals with prediabetes and/or drug-naive type 2 diabetes, ARA 290 administration resulted in improved glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and long-term glucose control. [38]
6. In type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, oral administration of ARA 290 for 4 weeks improved β-cell glucose metabolism and [Ca(2+)]i handling, resulting in enhanced insulin release. [39-40]
7. In a murine model of diabetes, ARA 290 reversed diabetes-induced autonomic nerve degeneration. [41]
8. In patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, ARA 290 treatment for 2-4 weeks improved oral glucose tolerance tests and insulin secretion. [42]
9. In rats, ARA 290 protected pancreatic islets (secrete insulin) from cytokine-induced damage and programmed cell death (apoptosis). [43]

Boosts Immune Function

A growing body of evidence suggests that ARA 290 also has immune-modulating properties necessary for warding off a wide array of diseases:

1. In a cell culture model, ARA 290 modulated the innate immune response and reduced invasion of the bacterium Escherichia coli. [44]
2. Several studies also found that ARA 290 and other nonhematopoietic peptides have the potential to combat several inflammatory and infectious diseases. [45-47]
3. A 2017 study published in Scientific Reports found that ARA 290 enhances immune cell function through its potent anti-inflammatory effects. [48]
4. A 2016 study found that ARA 290 improves stem cells’ ability to find their destination (homing), thus, enhancing new blood vessel formation, tissue regeneration, and immune function. [49]
5. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Immunology found that ARA 290 alters T cell function to suppress inflammation. [50]
6. A study found that ARA 290 can help lower the risk of myocardial infarction by protecting against damage to the heart muscle (myocardium). [51]
7. A study reported that ARA 290 has the ability to modulate graft rejection after organ transplant. [52]
8. Studies found that the anti-inflammatory effects of ARA 290 can help treat autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). [53-54]

Associated Side Effects of ARA 290

ARA 290 side effects are very uncommon. There have been some side effects associated with the use of this drug wherein the patient had one of the issues listed below at some point while being on ARA 290. However, these side effects weren’t confirmed to be associated with the treatment and could have been a coincidence and not related to the use of ARA 290. Despite this, it was listed as a side effect associated with ARA 290 even though these associated side effects are very uncommon.
Side effects associated with ARA 290 may include the following:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Fast heart rate
• Liver enzyme elevation
• Nausea/vomiting

References

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2. Van rijt WG, Nieuwenhuijs-moeke GJ, Van goor H, Ottens PJ, Ploeg RJ, Leuvenink HG. Renoprotective capacities of non-erythropoietic EPO derivative, ARA290, following renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. J Transl Med. 2013;11:286.
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9. Dahan A, Dunne A, Swartjes M, Proto PL, Heij L, Vogels O, van Velzen M, Sarton E, Niesters M, Tannemaat MR, Cerami A, Brines M. ARA 290 improves symptoms in patients with sarcoidosis-associated small nerve fiber loss and increases corneal nerve fiber density. Mol Med 2013;19:334–45.
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