Also known as: SS-31, Bendavia
Elamipretide (SS-31) is a synthetic, cell-permeable tetrapeptide that concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane. It has a large preclinical literature and has been studied in multiple human clinical trials.
Elamipretide localizes to the inner mitochondrial membrane and binds selectively to cardiolipin, a phospholipid that supports cristae structure and respiratory-chain assembly [1]. Binding lowers the membrane's surface charge without changing transmembrane potential, and studies report improved respiratory supercomplex organization and reduced proton leak through ANT1 [1][5]. Early work framed it as a free-radical scavenger; more recent evidence proposes it reduces ROS production upstream rather than scavenging radicals directly, which remains an area of active study [1][4].
| Study | Model | Reported result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| MMPOWER-3 [2] | Human Adults, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 24 weeks | Phase 3, 218 participants. Primary endpoints: prespecified functional measures (see publication). Published. | Peer-reviewed Neurology 2023 |
| Chronic administration in a canine LV-dysfunction model [3] | Other animal Intracoronary microembolization model, dogs (n=14), 3 months vs saline | Researchers measured LV function, myocardial energetics and NT-proBNP vs saline; see publication. | Peer-reviewed Circ Heart Fail 2016 |
| Late-life exposure in old mice [4] | Mouse Old mice, 8 weeks of SS-31 | Researchers measured diastolic function vs young mice; cardiomyocyte proton leak normalized and mitochondrial ROS reduced; cMyBP-C phosphorylation increased. | Peer-reviewed eLife 2020 |
| Tafazzin-knockdown cardiac mitochondria [5] | Mouse Tafazzin-knockdown (TazKD) mouse model, isolated cardiac mitochondria | SS-31 improved mitochondrial respiratory capacity and supercomplex organization without changing the MLCL/cardiolipin ratio. | Peer-reviewed Sci Rep 2022 |
| Mechanism review [1] | Review Review of cell, animal and human literature | Summarizes cardiolipin binding, supercomplex assembly, ANT1 interaction and ATP synthasome stabilization as the current mechanistic model. | Peer-reviewed Biomed Pharmacother 2025 |
Human trials are listed for research context only; outcomes are reported in the linked publications. Animal and lab results do not establish effects in humans.
PureLab does not supply this compound. This page summarizes published research only.
