Selank

Also known as: Selank; Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro; TKPRPGP; tuftsin analog; CAS 129954-34-3

NOT FDA APPROVED Tier 2 – Clinical Neurological

Primary research focus: Anxiolytic and stress-modulation research (tuftsin analog); approved as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia

Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed against FDA labeling and published research.

What is Selank?

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro) developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences as a stable analog of tuftsin, a naturally occurring immunomodulatory tetrapeptide from immunoglobulin G. A C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro extension was added to resist enzymatic breakdown, extending its half-life from minutes to hours and enabling intranasal delivery. It is registered as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia but has no FDA approval, and its US compounding status is unsettled.

How it works

Selank's most studied action is allosteric modulation of the GABAergic system, the brain's primary inhibitory network, producing anxiolytic effects without the sedation, tolerance, or dependence associated with benzodiazepines. Reported additional mechanisms include effects on GABA-A receptor subunit gene expression, modulation of serotonin and dopamine metabolism, increased BDNF expression, and inhibition of enkephalin degradation. Retaining tuftsin's lineage, it also has documented immunomodulatory activity including regulation of inflammatory cytokines, which some researchers consider relevant to neuroinflammation in anxiety and depression. The Pro-Gly-Pro tail is a stability feature rather than a pharmacophore.

How it’s supplied

Not FDA-approved or commercially available in the US. In Russia it is a registered prescription medicine, most commonly an intranasal solution. Elsewhere it is sold as a research-grade lyophilized peptide or nasal solution; such products are not FDA-reviewed for potency or sterility, and sale as a research chemical does not constitute authorization for human use.

Dosage Chart

RouteSubcutaneous

For reference only, compiled from FDA labeling, clinical trials, and established protocols. Not medical advice or a dosing recommendation. Confirm against current prescribing information and consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Vial size

BAC water

Units shown are for a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL), calculated from the vial size and BAC water you select. Always confirm against your prescription and your syringe markings.

Phase	Dose	Frequency	Notes
Week 1	100mcg	1-3x Daily	—
Week 2	250mcg	1-3x Daily	—
Week 3	500mcg	1-3x Daily	—

Special considerations

Rotate injection sites to reduce irritation and lipohypertrophy
Not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding
Do not exceed the recommended dose to try to speed results

Potential Benefits and Side Effects

Effects reported in published research. Not a promise of results, and not medical advice.

Reported benefits

Reported in Russian clinical use and research; not established in Western randomized controlled trials.
Anxiolytic effects without the sedation, tolerance, or dependence associated with benzodiazepines.
Studied in Russia for generalized anxiety disorder through Phase III and for neurasthenia.
Reported antiasthenic and mild psychostimulant effects.
Reported immunomodulatory activity including regulation of inflammatory cytokines.
Reported effects on BDNF expression and monoamine metabolism.

Reported side effects

Reported adverse effects in Russian clinical use are generally mild and infrequent.
Nasal irritation with intranasal administration.
The Western safety database is essentially absent, so uncommon and long-term effects are not characterized.
Research-grade material carries identity and purity risks.

Warnings and contraindications

Important safety information. This is not exhaustive — read the full prescribing information and consult your prescriber or pharmacist.

Warnings

No FDA-approved labeling exists; the following reflect the compound's status and the limits of its evidence, not a US label.
Selank is not FDA-approved; its Russian registration has no legal effect in the US, and the FDA has never reviewed it for safety or efficacy.
The clinical evidence base is almost entirely Russian-language and has not been replicated in Western randomized controlled trials.
Anxiety disorders are treatable with evidence-based therapies; substituting an unapproved research peptide should be discussed with a clinician.
Its US compounding status is unsettled: it was named among the peptides slated to return to Category 1, but it does not appear on the announced July 2026 or later Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee agendas, leaving its path less clearly documented than Semax's.
Research-grade material varies in identity and purity; safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established.

Contraindications

Not established as a US drug; no FDA labeling. Precautionary considerations include known hypersensitivity and pregnancy or breastfeeding, where human data are lacking.

Reconstitution Steps

How to prepare the lyophilized vial. Confirm specifics with your pharmacist or prescriber.

Confirm the amount of peptide in the vial and the volume of diluent you intend to use before starting.
Wash your hands and gather supplies: the lyophilized vial, the diluent (typically bacteriostatic water), an alcohol swab, and a sterile syringe.
Let the vial and diluent reach room temperature if they were refrigerated or frozen.
Wipe the rubber stopper of both the peptide vial and the diluent vial with a fresh alcohol swab and let them air dry.
Draw the intended diluent volume into the syringe.
Insert the needle into the vial and slowly release the diluent down the inside wall rather than directly onto the powder, to avoid foaming.
Do not shake. Gently swirl or roll the vial until fully dissolved.
Inspect the solution: it should be clear and colorless with no visible particles. Do not use if cloudy or containing particles.
Note the resulting concentration (amount divided by diluent volume) so it matches the reconstitution calculator on this page.
Label the vial with the reconstitution date and store as directed under reconstituted storage.

US regulatory status

Classifications are public record but can change. For reference only, not legal advice.

DEA scheduleNot a controlled substance

Development stagePhase 4 / post-market

503A compoundingUnder review

503B compoundingNot eligible

Development: Selank was developed in the 1990s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences as a metabolically stable analog of tuftsin. It is registered as a prescription anxiolytic on Russia's official drug register and has completed Phase III clinical trials in Russia for generalized anxiety disorder, with reported anxiolytic, antiasthenic, and mild psychostimulant effects and studies in neurasthenia. The FDA has never reviewed it for safety or efficacy in any indication. On the compounding front, Selank was among the peptides placed in Category 2 in September 2023 and was named in the February 27, 2026 HHS announcement of peptides slated to return to Category 1. However, unlike Semax, it does not appear on the published July 23-24, 2026 Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee agenda or on the announced list of five peptides scheduled for a later meeting, so the formal status of its nomination is less clearly documented. It is often paired with Semax in Russian clinical practice and in community protocols; that combination is not a clinically validated protocol.

Notes: Selank is not FDA-approved; its registration as a prescription anxiolytic in Russia has no legal effect in the US. Its US compounding status is unsettled. It was placed in FDA Category 2 in September 2023 and was named in the February 2026 HHS announcement of peptides slated to return to Category 1, but it does not appear on the published July 23-24, 2026 Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee agenda or on the announced later-meeting list, so its formal path is less clearly documented than Semax's. Importantly, removal from Category 2 is not the same as being added to the 503A bulks list; compounds removed but not yet listed sit in a regulatory gray zone. Verify against the current FDA list. It is not a controlled substance. (Status current as of mid-2026.)

International status

UKNot approved (MHRA); not authorized as a medicine

EUNot approved (EMA)

AustraliaNot approved (TGA)

CanadaNot approved (Health Canada)

Pharmacokinetics

Molecular weightApproximately 751.9 g/mol (a heptapeptide). CAS 129954-34-3.

Half-lifeExtended relative to native tuftsin (which is degraded within minutes) to a range measured in hours, owing to the Pro-Gly-Pro tail; precise human pharmacokinetic parameters are not well published in Western sources.

Time to peakRapid after intranasal administration; detailed human Tmax data are not well published in Western sources.

ClearanceCleared by peptidase degradation; detailed human clearance parameters are not well published in Western sources.

SequenceHeptapeptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro (TKPRPGP): the tuftsin core (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) extended by a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro stabilizing tail. It shares that Pro-Gly-Pro tail with Semax, which is otherwise unrelated (an ACTH fragment analog).

Storage and handling

TemperatureResearch-grade lyophilized powder is typically stored frozen at -20 degrees C long term and refrigerated at 2 to 8 degrees C short term; nasal solutions are refrigerated. Not a clinically stored, FDA-approved product in the US.

Light sensitiveProtect from light and moisture; keep the vial sealed.

Shelf lifeLyophilized powder is generally stable for months when frozen; follow the supplier certificate of analysis. There is no FDA-established drug shelf life.

Reconstituted storageAfter reconstitution, solutions are generally refrigerated at 2 to 8 degrees C and used within the supplier-indicated period, with freeze-thaw cycles minimized. No FDA-established in-use dating.

Important Notes

Practical considerations for consistency and safety.

Selank is a registered prescription anxiolytic in Russia but has never been reviewed by the FDA for safety or efficacy.
Its evidence base is almost entirely Russian-language and has not been replicated in Western randomized controlled trials.
Its US compounding status is less clearly documented than Semax's: named for return to Category 1, but absent from the published PCAC agendas.
It shares only a Pro-Gly-Pro stabilizing tail with Semax; the two are otherwise unrelated (tuftsin analog versus ACTH fragment analog).
The Semax-Selank combination is a community and Russian-practice pairing, not a validated protocol.

Lifestyle Factors

Most commonly studied as an intranasal solution in short courses.
Evidence-based care remains the foundation for anxiety disorders; Selank has not been evaluated as a substitute.

References

PubMedZozulya AA et al. Efficacy and possible mechanisms of action of a new peptide anxiolytic Selank in the therapy of generalized anxiety disorders and neurasthenia. 2008 (PMID 18454096)FDAJuly 23-24, 2026 Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (peptide compounding review context; docket FDA-2025-N-6895)

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Important disclaimer

This page is an educational reference, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and not a substitute for your prescriber or pharmacist. Approval and regulatory status varies by compound and can change. Always confirm against current prescribing information and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decision about a medication.