Cortagen

Cortagen is a short synthetic peptide from the Russian 'Khavinson' bioregulator family, marketed for the brain, specifically the cerebral cortex. In lab studies it stimulated growth in brain-cortex tissue explants but not other tissue types, and alongside other short peptides it increased gene accessibility in cells taken from elderly people. The research is Russian-led, preclinical, hasn't been independently replicated in the West, there are no human trials, and Cortagen isn't FDA-approved.

Cortagen is marketed as a brain "bioregulator." In lab studies it stimulated the growth of brain-cortex tissue explants (but not other tissues) — the "tissue-specific" effect central to its underlying theory — and, with other short peptides, increased gene accessibility in cells from elderly people. These are laboratory findings; there are no large controlled human trials showing Cortagen treats any neurological condition.

Not a drug in the US and not FDA-approved for any indication. A synthetic "Khavinson" short-peptide bioregulator ("cytogen") from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology (Russia), associated with the cerebral cortex. Evidence is almost entirely preclinical (explant/cell) plus small Russian studies; no large controlled human trials. WADA: not specifically named; best treated as S0 (non-approved), prohibited at all times — verify with your anti-doping organization. Not DEA-scheduled.

Cortagen has essentially no controlled human safety data and is not FDA-approved. It is not a treatment for any neurological condition — those require a clinician. As a non-approved research peptide it is best treated as prohibited in regulated sport (WADA S0). VialWise is a research and educational reference, not medical advice.

⚠️ For research and educational purposes only. Cortagen is not FDA-approved and is not a treatment for any neurological or cognitive condition. Its evidence is preclinical. Information here is informational, not medical advice.

⚠️ Part of the Khavinson "bioregulator" family — read the shared caveat. Cortagen is one of a set of short peptides from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. The whole family shares a thin, mostly-preclinical, largely single-institute evidence base and no large controlled human trials.[³]

Cortagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro (AEDP), in the "Khavinson" short-peptide bioregulator family, associated with the cerebral cortex. According to PubMed, Cortagen (with the related cytogens Epithalon, Livagen, and Vilon) stimulated the growth of explants from its matching tissue — brain cortex — in organotypic culture, illustrating the group's claimed tissue-specific effect,[¹] and Cortagen was among short peptides reported to activate chromatin (increase gene accessibility) in lymphocytes from elderly people.[²] These are the basis for its marketing as a nervous-system peptide under the Khavinson theory.[³]

Evidence quality. Preclinical (explant/cell). There are no large controlled human trials. See the shared Khavinson caveat below.

### About the Khavinson bioregulators (shared framing)

Developed from the 1970s by Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, these cytomedin/cytogen peptides went from organ-extract complexes to synthetic short peptides proposed to have tissue-specific effects under a "peptide theory of ageing."[³] Honest caveats: evidence is overwhelmingly preclinical plus small, often non-blinded Russian studies; no large independent randomized trials; none FDA-approved; sold in Russia as injectables and supplements. An unproven research tradition.

Regulatory status (US). Not FDA-approved; not a drug. Not DEA-scheduled.

Regulatory status (sport — WADA). Not specifically named; best treated as S0 (non-approved), prohibited at all times. Verify with your anti-doping organization.

Common research interests. Cognitive/nervous-system support (its associated organ). Extrapolated from preclinical data, not an established human use.

Commonly reported

• Injection-site reactions
• Reactions to research-supply material of variable purity
• Gene-accessibility effects. Cortagen is reported to activate chromatin;[²] the long-term consequences of gene-accessibility-modulating peptides in humans are uncharacterized.
• Unknown long-term safety.

Not a treatment for any neurological/cognitive condition — see a clinician

Pregnancy and lactation — no data; default to contraindicated

Pediatric use — no data; not for researchers under 18

Active malignancy — caution; effects of gene-activity-modulating peptides in the cancer context are uncharacterized

Known hypersensitivity — contraindicated

Regulatory note (US): Not FDA-approved; not DEA-scheduled.

Regulatory note (sport): Best treated as WADA S0. Verify with your anti-doping organization.

Bioregulator (Khavinson peptide)

A very short synthetic peptide from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, each linked to an organ — here, the brain cortex.

Explant culture

A piece of tissue grown in a dish. Cortagen boosted cortex-explant growth in the lab.

Chromatin activation

Loosening of DNA packaging so genes can be read. Cortagen was among peptides reported to do this in aged cells.

Preclinical

Research in cells or animals, before human testing.

1. Khavinson VK. (2001). Tissue-specific effects of peptides. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 132(2):807–808.(PMID 11713572)
2. Khavinson VKh, Lezhava TA, Malinin VV. (2004). Effects of short peptides on lymphocyte chromatin in senile subjects. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 137(1):78–81.(PMID 15085253)
3. Khavinson VKh. (2002). Peptides and Ageing. Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 23 Suppl 3:11–144.(PMID 12374906)

• Bronchogen — same mechanism class
• Cardiogen — same mechanism class
• Cartalax — same mechanism class
• Chonluten — same mechanism class
• Crystagen — same mechanism class
• Epitalon — same mechanism class