Semax

A seven-amino-acid fragment of ACTH capped with Pro-Gly-Pro, used as a nasal drug in Russia; human evidence is small, mostly unblinded stroke studies.

Also known as: ACTH(4-10) analogue, ACTH(4-7)-Pro-Gly-Pro, Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro
Area: Cognitive
Status: Used clinically in Russia; not approved as a medicine in the UK, EU or US

Articles on Semax

CognitiveHuman study

Semax: what the stroke studies found, and which ACTH fragment it really is

Semax is ACTH(4-7) with a Pro-Gly-Pro tail, which is why papers also call it an ACTH(4-10) analogue. Its human evidence is a few small, unblinded Russian stroke studies.

HPR Editorial · 9 Aug 2026 · 8 min read