Peptide LibraryIGF-1 DES
Also known as: DES(1-3)IGF-1, Truncated IGF-1
IGF-1 DES (also called DES(1-3)IGF-1 or Truncated IGF-1) is a truncated IGF-1 analog. IGF-1 DES(1-3) is native IGF-1 with the first three N-terminal residues removed. That truncation eliminates the region required for high-affinity binding to IGF binding proteins while leaving receptor binding largely intact, so a much greater proportion of the peptide circulates free and available to the IGF-1 receptor.
For research use only.
Key Facts
- CAS
- —
- Molecular Weight (MW)
- —
- Half-life
- —
- FDA status
- Not Approved
- Evidence level
- Insufficient Evidence
- Human dose established
- No
- Administration Route
- Not established in humans
- Frequency
- Not established in humans
- Last updated
- Nov 7, 2026
- Reviewed
- Nov 7, 2026
- Targets
- IGF-1 receptor
Vendor price snapshot
None of these listings has a price per mg to compare. From public vendor listings; confirm the live price on the vendor site. Peptide Library does not sell peptides.
- Vendors listing this peptide
- 2
- Listed offers
- 2
- Price per mg (peptide vials)
- —
By form
Each form is priced on its own: a price per mg doesn't make a spray or a capsule equivalent to a vial.
- Peptide vials1 vendor
- Sprays, route not stated1 vendor · $149.99/mg
Research summary
IGF-1 lacking the first three amino acids, with reduced IGFBP binding and higher local potency in research models. Not FDA-approved. WADA S2.
Research evidence
- Regulatory review (FDA label)None in reviewed sources
- Controlled human trialsNone in reviewed sources
- Early or uncontrolled human studiesNone in reviewed sources
- Lab & animal studies3 reviewed sources
How it works
Each step shows whether the sources Peptide Library has reviewed include that kind of research. Counts are reviewed sources, not every study ever published. Reviews and programme summaries that describe human use are shown as "reported", not as trials, and registered trials without published results are listed but not counted. A higher step means research has progressed further; it does not mean a compound works better or is safer. Compounds whose evidence has not been reviewed yet show "Not reviewed" instead of a guess.
Peptide Library's IGF-1 DES profile summarises 5 cited studies listed in the Science section, the compound's regulatory status, and research-protocol parameters reported for it. It is a research reference, not medical advice.
IGF-1 DES dosage: no established human dose
IGF-1 DES has no established human dosage. No trial of it is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and no human study of it is indexed in PubMed. The published work is in rats, pigs and marmosets, given as weight-based infusions or single injections, and in laboratory assays. Its parent molecule, recombinant human IGF-1 (mecasermin), is a separate approved product whose dosing does not transfer to this analogue.
No established human dosage.
Human clinical evidence: None identified.
Preclinical research: IGF-1 DES, or des(1-3)IGF-1, is recombinant human IGF-1 with the first three amino acids removed, which lowers its binding to IGF binding proteins. The published work is animal physiology from the 1990s, plus cell assays and anti-doping detection methods. Animal doses are weight-based infusions or single injections, including injections into the brain, and none of them converts into a human dose. No human study has given it by any route, so no dose, route or interval is established.
Animal dosing is not converted into a human dose anywhere on this page. Where research figures appear below, they are reported as studied, not recommended.
| Human dosing established | No |
|---|---|
| Route | Not established in humans |
| Evidence level | Insufficient Evidence |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-07 |
Preclinical and analog research
Not human dosing evidence. Listed for completeness and never extrapolated to a human dose.
| Study / context | Population | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Outcome studied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preclinical — des(1-3)IGF-I infused in diabetic rats, 7 days (1991)Preclinical · Animal study | Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats | 1.08 mg/kg a day (non-human) | Infusion | — | 7 days | Higher body weight gain, nitrogen retention and muscle protein synthesis, reaching about 70% of the effect of insulin; the glucose in the urine was not corrected | Increased weight gain, nitrogen retention and muscle protein synthesis following treatment of diabetic rats with insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and des(1-3)IGF-I. Biochem J. 1991. |
| Preclinical — single injections in pigs and marmosets (1997)Preclinical · Animal study | Pigs and marmoset monkeys | 20 and 50 mcg/kg in pigs; 42 to 270 mcg/kg in marmosets, as single doses (non-human) | Bolus injection | — | — | Blood glucose fell in proportion to the dose and stayed low longer than after IGF-1; des(1-3)IGF-I was the most potent of the variants tested | IGF-I variants which bind poorly to IGF-binding proteins show more potent and prolonged hypoglycaemic action than native IGF-I in pigs and marmoset monkeys. J Endocrinol. 1997. |
| Preclinical — des-IGF-1 into the brain ventricle of rats after hypoxic-ischaemic injury (1996)Preclinical · Animal study | Adult rats after unilateral hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury | 2, 20 or 150 mcg as a single dose into the lateral cerebral ventricle (non-human) | Intracerebroventricular | — | — | Neither 2 nor 20 mcg reduced neuronal loss; 150 mcg showed only a trend, while 20 mcg of IGF-1 did reduce neuronal loss | The effects of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-2, and des-IGF-1 on neuronal loss after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in adult rats: evidence for a role for IGF binding proteins. Endocrinology. 1996. |
Where sources disagree
- Recombinant human IGF-1 (mecasermin) is an approved product with weight-based dosing for severe primary IGF-1 deficiency. IGF-1 DES is a different molecule, and mecasermin's labelling is not dosing evidence for it.
- IGF-1 DES, IGF-1 LR3 and native IGF-1 are three different molecules with different binding-protein affinities, and the animal work finds different potencies for each. A figure for one is not a figure for another.
- In the animal work, the clearest effect of des(1-3)IGF-1 was lowering blood glucose, and it lowered it further and for longer than IGF-1 at the same weight-based dose.
- Protocols quoted for IGF-1 DES in microgram amounts could not be traced to any indexed human study or registered trial.
Reconstitution
These figures are arithmetic only — they convert a vial and a volume into a concentration. They are not a recommendation to take any dose.
Calculate reconstitution & dose →Handling & administration
- Injection Sites
- AbdomenThigh
- Timing Notes
- Educational catalog only — not medical advice
Sequence & molecular data
| Appearance | White lyophilized powder |
|---|---|
| Formulation | Lyophilized Powder |
Identifiers link to the public PubChem, FDA Substance Registration (UNII), ChEMBL and DrugBank records for the same entity.
Science
Mechanism of Action
IGF-1 DES(1-3) is native IGF-1 with the first three N-terminal residues removed. That truncation eliminates the region required for high-affinity binding to IGF binding proteins while leaving receptor binding largely intact, so a much greater proportion of the peptide circulates free and available to the IGF-1 receptor. In tissue and animal muscle studies this produces greater local potency than equimolar native IGF-1. Because the effect depends on escaping binding-protein control rather than on any change in receptor pharmacology, it is used mainly as a local research tool. It has no approved use and no human safety data.
Origin
Synthetic truncated IGF-1.
Targets
Studies
- Functional characterization of des-IGF-1 action at excitatory synapses in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus
- Differential effects of des IGF-1 on Erks, AKT-1 and P70 S6K activation in mouse skeletal and cardiac muscle
- Prenatal (1-3)IGF-1 Treatment Is Ineffective and Behaviorally Detrimental in a Rat Model of Cortical Malformation
- The effects of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-2, and des-IGF-1 on neuronal loss after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in adult rats: evidence for a role for IGF binding proteins
- Effects of IGF-1, truncated IGF-1 and the tripeptide Gly-Pro-Glu on acetylcholine release from parietal cortex of rat brain
Research statistics
27 PubMed publications · 0.0% human clinical research · 0 registered trials
Counts of published research through 2026-11-01, not evidence that it works. Publications by year, study types and trials · How publications are counted
Regulatory & research status
IGF-1 DES is not an FDA-approved product. It is sold for laboratory research and has no approved medical use.
| FDA status | Not Approved |
|---|---|
| Availability | Research-Only |
| WADA (sport) | Banned in Sport |
| Library classification | Research-Only |
How FDA approval, compounding and research-only status differ
Benefits
IGF-1 DES side effects
IGF-1 DES has no controlled human safety data. The effects below are reported, not established, and absence from the list is not evidence of safety.
Side Effects
- Hypoglycemia risk
- Unknown human safety
Storage & stability
Lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptide powder is far more stable than the reconstituted solution. Keep sealed vials cold, dry and away from light; long-term storage is typically frozen, with short-term refrigeration for vials in use.
Once reconstituted in bacteriostatic water, keep the solution refrigerated, avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles and agitation, and label the vial with the reconstitution date and concentration. Discard any solution that turns cloudy or shows particulates.
Degradation rates differ by sequence: peptides containing methionine, cysteine, asparagine or glutamine are more prone to oxidation and deamidation, so shelf life after reconstitution is compound-specific rather than universal.
Read the full guide: how to store peptides before and after reconstitution →
Source: Manning MC, Chou DK, Murphy BM, Payne RW, Katayama DS. Stability of protein pharmaceuticals: an update. Pharm Res. 2010;27(4):544–575. (PMID 20143256). General guidance for research handling; not product-specific instructions.
IGF-1 DES: frequently asked questions
What is IGF-1 DES?
IGF-1 lacking the first three amino acids, with reduced IGFBP binding and higher local potency in research models. Not FDA-approved. WADA S2.
How does IGF-1 DES work?
IGF-1 DES(1-3) is native IGF-1 with the first three N-terminal residues removed. That truncation eliminates the region required for high-affinity binding to IGF binding proteins while leaving receptor binding largely intact, so a much greater proportion of the peptide circulates free and available to the IGF-1 receptor.
Is IGF-1 DES FDA approved?
No. IGF-1 DES is not approved by the FDA for any indication and is categorised as research-only. It has not been reviewed for safety or efficacy as a medicine, and published research should be read as investigation rather than established use.
Is IGF-1 DES banned in sport?
IGF-1 DES is recorded here as prohibited in sport. Athletes subject to anti-doping rules should check the current WADA Prohibited List directly, since it is revised annually and classifications change.
What peptides are similar to IGF-1 DES?
Compounds most often compared with IGF-1 DES include IGF-1 (overview), Mecasermin, IGF-1 LR3 and MGF. They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ.
References
- WADA Prohibited List 2026External reference
- Functional characterization of des-IGF-1 action at excitatory synapses in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus — J Neurophysiol, 2005External reference
- Differential effects of des IGF-1 on Erks, AKT-1 and P70 S6K activation in mouse skeletal and cardiac muscle — Mol Cell Biochem, 2002External reference
- Prenatal (1-3)IGF-1 Treatment Is Ineffective and Behaviorally Detrimental in a Rat Model of Cortical Malformation — Brain Behav, 2026External reference
- The effects of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-2, and des-IGF-1 on neuronal loss after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in adult rats: evidence for a role for IGF binding proteins — Endocrinology, 1996External reference
- Effects of IGF-1, truncated IGF-1 and the tripeptide Gly-Pro-Glu on acetylcholine release from parietal cortex of rat brain — Neuroreport, 1993External reference
Related research, comparisons & guides
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Compiled by Peptide Library Editorial · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026 · Updated Nov 7, 2026 · Version 2
This IGF-1 DES profile is compiled from published literature (5 cited studies linked above), public regulatory records and chemical registries. It describes what research reports; it is not medical advice, and nothing here is a dosing recommendation for humans. Peptide Library does not sell peptides. Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled · Report an error
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