Recent peptide-related research.
A curated, regularly-updated reading list of notable peer-reviewed work in peptide science — landmark clinical trials, mechanistic studies and reviews. The field is moving quickly: 2024–2025 alone brought phase 3 incretin combination data, the first cardiolipin-targeted mitochondrial peptide to reach accelerated approval, and a wave of synthesis and delivery advances. Links go to the original sources.
Peptide science — recent reviews
8 of 8- Trends in peptide drug discovery
Muttenthaler M, King GF, Adams DJ, et al.
- 2025 FDA TIDES (Peptides and Oligonucleotides) Harvest
AlShaer D, Al Musaimi O, Albericio F, et al.
- Therapeutic Peptides: Recent Advances in Discovery, Synthesis, and Clinical Translation
Zheng B, Wang X, Guo M, et al.
- Advance in peptide-based drug development: delivery platforms, therapeutics and vaccines
Xiao W, Jiang W, Chen Z, et al.
- Designing Formulation Strategies for Enhanced Stability of Therapeutic Peptides in Aqueous Solutions: A Review
Nugrahadi PP, Hinrichs WLJ, Frijlink HW, et al.
- Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions
Wang L, Wang N, Zhang W, et al.
- Characterization of Synthetic Peptide Therapeutics Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry: Challenges, Solutions, Pitfalls, and Future Perspectives
Lian Z, Wang N, Tian Y, et al.
- Sustainability Challenges in Peptide Synthesis and Purification: From R&D to Production
Isidro-Llobet A, Kenworthy MN, Mukherjee S, et al.
No entries in this group at the selected evidence level.
Metabolic & incretin therapeutics
13 of 13- A systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments for obesity in adults
McGowan B, Ciudin A, Baker JL, et al.
- Coadministered Cagrilintide and GLP-SM1 in Adults with Overweight or Obesity
Garvey WT, Blüher M, Osorto Contreras CK, et al.
- Amylin: emergent therapeutic opportunities in overweight, obesity and diabetes mellitus
Walker CS, Aitken JF, Vazhoor Amarsingh G, et al.
- Once-Weekly Mazdutide in Chinese Adults with Obesity or Overweight
Ji L, Jiang H, Bi Y, et al.
- GLP-2 TRZ for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention
Jastreboff AM, le Roux CW, Stefanski A, et al.
- A Phase 2 Randomized Trial of Survodutide in MASH and Fibrosis
Sanyal AJ, Bedossa P, Fraessdorf M, et al.
- GLP-SM1 and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes
Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al.
- A phase 2 randomised controlled trial of mazdutide in Chinese overweight adults or adults with obesity
Ji L, Jiang H, Cheng Z, et al.
- Triple–Hormone-Receptor Agonist GLP-3 RT for Obesity — A Phase 2 Trial
Jastreboff AM, Kaplan LM, Frías JP, et al.
- GLP-2 TRZ Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity
Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al.
- Nicotinamide mononucleotide increases muscle insulin sensitivity in prediabetic women
Yoshino M, Yoshino J, Kayser BD, et al.
- MOTS-c is an exercise-induced mitochondrial-encoded regulator of age-dependent physical decline and muscle homeostasis
Reynolds JC, Lai RW, Woodhead JST, et al.
- The Mitochondrial-Derived Peptide MOTS-c Promotes Metabolic Homeostasis and Reduces Obesity and Insulin Resistance
Lee C, Zeng J, Drew BG, et al.
No entries in this group at the selected evidence level.
Growth-hormone secretagogues
7 of 7- Growth hormone secretagogues: history, mechanism of action, and clinical development
Ishida J, Saitoh M, Ebner N, et al.
- Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial
Stanley TL, Fourman LT, Feldpausch MN, et al.
- Effects of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone on Cognitive Function in Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Older Adults: Results of a Controlled Trial
Baker LD, Barsness SM, Borson S, et al.
- Effects of an Oral Ghrelin Mimetic on Body Composition and Clinical Outcomes in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized Trial
Nass R, Pezzoli SS, Oliveri MC, et al.
- Metabolic Effects of a Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor in Patients with HIV
Falutz J, Allas S, Blot K, et al.
- Prolonged Stimulation of Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Secretion by CJC-1295, a Long-Acting Analog of GH-Releasing Hormone, in Healthy Adults
Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, et al.
- Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue
Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, et al.
No entries in this group at the selected evidence level.
Repair, recovery & tissue
9 of 9- Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review
Vasireddi N, Hahamyan H, Salata MJ, et al.
- The efficacy and safety of thymosin α1 for sepsis (TESTS): multicentre, double blinded, randomised, placebo controlled, phase 3 trial
Wu J, Pei F, Zhou L, et al.
- Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Intestinal Anastomoses Therapy in Rats-A Review
Bajramagic S, Sever M, Rasic F, et al.
- Efficacy and Safety of Elamipretide in Individuals With Primary Mitochondrial Myopathy: The MMPOWER-3 Randomized Clinical Trial
Karaa A, Bertini E, Carelli V, et al.
- 0.1% RGN-259 (Thymosin ß4) Ophthalmic Solution Promotes Healing and Improves Comfort in Neurotrophic Keratopathy Patients in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Masked Phase III Clinical Trial
Sosne G, Kleinman HK, Springs C, et al.
- Evaluation of LL-37 in healing of hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers: A multicentric prospective randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial
Mahlapuu M, Sidorowicz A, Mikosinski J, et al.
- A phase 2/3 randomized clinical trial followed by an open-label extension to evaluate the effectiveness of elamipretide in Barth syndrome, a genetic disorder of mitochondrial cardiolipin metabolism
Reid Thompson W, Hornby B, Manuel R, et al.
- Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data
Pickart L, Margolina A
- Thymosin β4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair
Bock-Marquette I, Saxena A, White MD, et al.
No entries in this group at the selected evidence level.
Cognitive, longevity & mitochondrial
4 of 4- Overview of Epitalon—Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties
Araj SK, Brzezik J, Mądra-Gackowska K, et al.
- Cerebrolysin for acute ischaemic stroke
Ziganshina LE, Abakumova T, Nurkhametova D, et al.
- Mitochondria-derived peptides in aging and healthspan
Miller B, Kim SJ, Kumagai H, et al.
- Effects of Semax on the Default Mode Network of the Brain
Lebedeva IS, Panikratova YR, Sokolov OY, et al.
No entries in this group at the selected evidence level.
Signalling & reproductive
8 of 8- The Emerging Therapeutic Potential of Kisspeptin and Neurokinin B
Patel B, Koysombat K, Mills EG, et al.
- Gonadotropins for pubertal induction in males with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: systematic review and meta-analysis
Alexander EC, Faruqi D, Farquhar R, et al.
- Effects of Kisspeptin on Sexual Brain Processing and Penile Tumescence in Men With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Mills EG, Ertl N, Wall MB, et al.
- Effects of Kisspeptin Administration in Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Thurston L, Hunjan T, Ertl N, et al.
- Intranasal Oxytocin in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sikich L, Kolevzon A, King BH, et al.
- Advances in therapeutic peptides targeting G protein-coupled receptors
Davenport AP, Scully CCG, de Graaf C, et al.
- Bremelanotide for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Two Randomized Phase 3 Trials
Kingsberg SA, Clayton AH, Portman D, et al.
- Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria
Langendonk JG, Balwani M, Anderson KE, et al.
No entries in this group at the selected evidence level.
Evidence levels, briefly.
Not all citations carry the same weight. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) in humans is the strongest common design; phase 1/2/3 mark the progression from first-in-human safety to large efficacy studies. Preclinical work — cell culture and animal models — can be mechanistically informative but does not establish human effect. We label each entry so the strength of evidence is clear at a glance.
Many compounds of research interest are supported primarily by preclinical literature. That is a normal stage of science, not a verdict — and a reason this material is sold for research use only.
RCT
Randomized, controlled, usually blinded — the strongest routine human evidence.
Phase 1 → 3
Safety/PK → efficacy in target population → large confirmatory trials.
Preclinical
In-vitro and animal studies; mechanism and hypothesis-generating.
Review
Synthesis of a body of work; useful for orientation and references.
Method: counted from the 13 entries on this page. Not a measure of the wider literature.
This reading list, at a glance
- Entries listed
- 13
- Subject groups
- 3
- Earliest
- 2018
- Most recent
- 2025