Adipotide
An extreme experimental approach to fat loss — it physically destroys the blood vessels that feed fat tissue, starving fat cells until they die. Originally developed using anti-cancer technology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. While it did reduce fat in monkey studies, it also caused serious kidney damage, which has effectively stopped its development. Not available for human use.
Adipotide is a radical experimental approach to fat reduction developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center using anti-cancer vascular targeting technology. Rather than suppressing appetite or boosting metabolism, it physically destroys the blood vessels feeding white fat tissue, starving fat cells until they die and are reabsorbed by the body.
The molecule has two functional domains: a targeting peptide that homes specifically to blood vessels in white adipose tissue by binding to prohibitin on endothelial cell surfaces, and a pro-apoptotic peptide that kills the cells it enters by disrupting their mitochondrial membranes. In rhesus monkey studies, adipotide reduced body weight and waist circumference with measurable fat loss on imaging.
However, development was effectively halted due to serious kidney toxicity. Prohibitin is also expressed in renal vasculature, and the compound caused significant kidney damage in primate studies — the same off-target vascular destruction that made it effective against fat also damaged kidney blood vessels. Adipotide is not available for human use and serves primarily as a proof-of-concept that vascular targeting can reduce fat mass, while highlighting the challenges of achieving tissue-specific targeting in practice.
Dosage
Experimental only — no established human dosing
Dosages shown are for research reference only. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.
Administration
Subcutaneous injection (experimental)
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Effects
Fat Destruction
Physically destroys blood vessels feeding white adipose tissue, causing fat cell death.
Weight Loss
Significant fat mass reduction observed in primate studies through targeted fat tissue destruction.
Mechanism of Action
Adipotide uses a fundamentally different approach to fat reduction compared to appetite suppressants or metabolic modulators — it physically destroys the blood supply feeding white adipose tissue. The molecule is a chimeric peptidomimetic with two functional domains: a targeting peptide (sequence CKGGRAKDC) that homes to blood vessels in white fat, and a pro-apoptotic peptide (D(KLAKLAK)2) that kills the cells it enters.
The targeting sequence binds specifically to prohibitin, a protein expressed on the luminal surface of endothelial cells in the vasculature supplying white adipose tissue but not other organ systems. This vascular address system means adipotide accumulates selectively in fat tissue blood vessels. Once bound, the molecule is internalized into the endothelial cells, where the pro-apoptotic D(KLAKLAK)2 domain disrupts mitochondrial membrane integrity, triggering programmed cell death.
As the blood vessels supplying fat deposits are destroyed, the adipose tissue they serve undergoes ischemic cell death and is gradually reabsorbed by the body. In rhesus monkey studies, adipotide treatment produced significant reductions in body weight and waist circumference, with measurable decreases in white fat mass on imaging. However, the approach carries inherent risks — the targeting is not perfectly specific, and prohibitin expression in renal vasculature led to significant kidney toxicity in primate studies, which has severely limited clinical development.
Regulatory Status
Not FDA approved. Preclinical/early experimental. Significant safety concerns limit development. Available only through research suppliers.
Risks & Safety
Common
dehydration, loss of appetite, lethargy (seen in primate studies).
Serious
significant kidney damage (development was halted for this reason), potential damage to blood vessels in non-fat tissues.
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Research Papers
No research papers indexed yet. Papers are fetched from PubMed weekly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Adipotide?
An extreme experimental approach to fat loss — it physically destroys the blood vessels that feed fat tissue, starving fat cells until they die. Originally developed using anti-cancer technology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. While it did reduce fat in monkey studies, it also caused serious kidney damage, which has effectively stopped its development. Not available for human use.
What is Adipotide used for?
An extreme experimental approach to fat loss — it physically destroys the blood vessels that feed fat tissue, starving fat cells until they die. Originally developed using anti-cancer technology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. While it did reduce fat in monkey studies, it also caused serious kidney damage, which has effectively stopped its development. Not available for human use.
What is the dosage for Adipotide?
Experimental only: primate studies used 0.43 mg/kg subcutaneous. No established human dosing protocol. Not available for clinical use.
What are the side effects of Adipotide?
Common: dehydration, loss of appetite, lethargy (seen in primate studies). Serious: significant kidney damage (development was halted for this reason), potential damage to blood vessels in non-fat tissues.
How does Adipotide work?
Adipotide uses a fundamentally different approach to fat reduction compared to appetite suppressants or metabolic modulators — it physically destroys the blood supply feeding white adipose tissue. The molecule is a chimeric peptidomimetic with two functional domains: a targeting peptide (sequence CKGGRAKDC) that homes to blood vessels in white fat, and a pro-apoptotic peptide (D(KLAKLAK)2) that kills the cells it enters. The targeting sequence binds specifically to prohibitin, a protein expressed on the luminal surface of endothelial cells in the vasculature supplying white adipose tissue but not other organ systems. This vascular address system means adipotide accumulates selectively in fat tissue blood vessels. Once bound, the molecule is internalized into the endothelial cells, where the pro-apoptotic D(KLAKLAK)2 domain disrupts mitochondrial membrane integrity, triggering programmed cell death. As the blood vessels supplying fat deposits are destroyed, the adipose tissue they serve undergoes ischemic cell death and is gradually reabsorbed by the body. In rhesus monkey studies, adipotide treatment produced significant reductions in body weight and waist circumference, with measurable decreases in white fat mass on imaging. However, the approach carries inherent risks — the targeting is not perfectly specific, and prohibitin expression in renal vasculature led to significant kidney toxicity in primate studies, which has severely limited clinical development.
How is Adipotide administered?
Adipotide is administered via subcutaneous injection (experimental).
What is the half-life of Adipotide?
The half-life of Adipotide is Estimated 2-4 hours (limited pharmacokinetic data).
Is Adipotide legal?
Not FDA approved. Preclinical/early experimental. Significant safety concerns limit development. Available only through research suppliers.
Sources. This profile is built from peer-reviewed papers indexed on PubMed, FDA-approved labelling where available, and published clinical guidelines. See our editorial standards for how we research and review peptide profiles.
Last reviewed. by the Peptide Reference Editorial Team. Spot an error? Email a correction.
Not medical advice. Information on this page is for educational and research reference only. Many peptides covered are not approved for human use. See our full medical disclaimer.
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