Summary
Adipotide is an experimental peptide designed to kill the blood vessels that feed white fat. In obese rhesus monkeys it reduced body weight by about 11% and improved insulin resistance over four weeks, but it also caused dose-dependent kidney injury.
Structure
A fusion of a homing motif (CKGGRAKDC) that binds prohibitin on fat-tissue blood vessels with a pro-apoptotic sequence, D(KLAKLAK)2.
How it works
The homing sequence binds prohibitin and annexin A2 on endothelial cells in white adipose tissue; the attached KLAKLAK sequence disrupts mitochondrial membranes and causes those cells to die, starving fat tissue of blood supply.
Research use cases
Areas where Adipotide has been studied. Inclusion here does not mean it works for that purpose.
- Obesity models in primates and rodents
- Prostate cancer (planned early trial)
What the research found
Obese monkeys
In spontaneously obese rhesus monkeys, adipotide reduced body weight, BMI and waist circumference and improved insulin sensitivity. Kidney tubular changes were dose-dependent and reversible.1
Safety and open questions
Kidney toxicity in primates. No completed human trial.
Regulatory status
Preclinical, with an abandoned early human trial. Not approved.
Status was accurate when this page was last reviewed on October 26, 2026. Regulations change; check with the relevant authority before relying on it.
Adipotide: common questions
Is adipotide a fat-loss peptide like AOD-9604?
No. It works by destroying blood vessels in fat tissue, which is a very different and more toxic mechanism.
Is Adipotide approved for human use?
Preclinical, with an abandoned early human trial. Not approved.
References
- Barnhart KF, Christianson DR, Hanley PW, et al. (2011). A peptidomimetic targeting white fat causes weight loss and improved insulin resistance in obese monkeys. Science Translational Medicine.
Links open a PubMed search for the exact title, or the original source where one is given.