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Bioregulators

Cardiogen

A Khavinson cytogen peptide aimed at the heart and cardiovascular system.

3 min read 9 sources

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Vial with white powder, a blue cap and a black TPD label for Cardiogen on a white podium, next to it a chain of blue and white glass spheres as a molecule model in a bright lab
No registered trial · not approved

Summary

At a glance

Sources checked on 26 Oct 2026

Length
4 amino acids

Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR), a synthetic tetrapeptide8

More cytoskeleton protein in cell culture
5 -fold

Actin, tubulin and vimentin rose 2- to 5-fold, in connective tissue cells from mice2

Fewer deaths in the infarction model
3 -fold

Rats after heart attack, as stated in a review by the Khavinson group, its source is a patent3

Human trials in the registry
0 trials

no trial with the peptide Cardiogen on ClinicalTrials.gov, as of 26 Oct 20269

  • Cardiogen is the synthetic tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg (AEDR) from the Russian Khavinson programme. There it is regarded as a bioregulator for the heart and vessels.87
  • In cell culture AEDR raised the cytoskeleton proteins actin, tubulin and vimentin 2- to 5-fold, plus proteins of the nuclear envelope.2
  • A review by the group reports about three times fewer deaths in rats after a heart attack. The figure comes from a patent, not from a peer-reviewed study.3
  • In old rats with a transplanted tumour Cardiogen slowed growth, apparently via the tumour's blood vessels.4
  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists no trial with the peptide (as of October 2026). Almost all data come from one research group. Everything here is the state of research, not a recommendation.91
Profile

Updated May 2026

Class
Short bioregulator peptide

Khavinson cytogen

Use
Subcutaneous

in mg

Target tissue
the heart and cardiovascular system
Status
Data mostly from the Khavinson program
Sizes
20 mg

1 size in the shop

Contents 15 sections
  1. At a glance
  2. What is Cardiogen?
  3. How it works
  4. What you need
  5. Reconstitution
  6. Dosing
  7. Injection
  8. What the research shows
  9. Research status
  10. Side effects
  11. Storage
  12. Related compounds
  13. FAQ
  14. Glossary
  15. Sources

What is Cardiogen?

Cardiogen is a short peptide from the Russian Khavinson program, which deals with tissue-specific bioregulators. These very short peptides (usually 2 to 4 amino acids) are meant to act specifically on a particular tissue, Cardiogen is aimed at the heart and cardiovascular system.

Up front: most research comes from a single research line and mostly from Russia, large independent studies are missing.

Comparison

Same family, different building blocks

Short peptides from the Khavinson programme with their amino acid sequence according to a review. Tap a card to open its entry.

Tetrapeptide, heart Cardiogen AEDR
Tripeptide, blood vessels Vesugen KED Tetrapeptide, bronchi Bronchogen AEDL Tetrapeptide, pineal gland Epitalon AEDG

The assignment to a tissue comes from the Khavinson group itself. It has not been confirmed independently. 8

How it works

The theory behind the Khavinson peptides: they are meant to act at the level of gene regulation and restart age-related declining functions of a tissue. For Cardiogen a supportive effect on the heart and cardiovascular system is described.

How well this concept transfers to humans is little established outside the originating research.

Where it acts

Where Cardiogen acted in experiments

Tap a point or a card. All from cell and animal studies, there is no confirmed receptor.

  1. Heart

    Infarction model (rats): according to a review fewer deaths and less dead tissue3

    Observed in trials
  2. Tumour vessels

    Sarcoma in old rats: growth slowed, apparently via the vessel network4

    Observed in trials

Known targets6

Compound Tetrapeptid AEDR: two described targets, all Possible route into the cell, only modelled on the computer (docking).

Peptide transporter PepT1
Gene
SLC15A1
UniProt
P46059
ChEMBL
CHEMBL4605
Action
Possible route into the cell, only modelled on the computer (docking)
Amino acid transporter LAT1
Gene
SLC7A5
UniProt
Q01650
ChEMBL
CHEMBL4459
Action
Possible route into the cell, only modelled on the computer (docking)
Twisted glass heart muscle fibres with glowing DNA helices inside, small blue molecules above them
Theory: action at the level of gene regulation in heart muscle. Symbolic image.

What you need

Supplies

2 things, numbered as in the picture

Tick off what you already have. Vial and BAC water are our real shop photos at the same size.

Cardiogen vial and bacteriostatic water at the same size with the black TPD label, next to two U-100 insulin syringes, two alcohol swabs and a sharps container with a blue lid

  1. Cardiogen vial

    The vial (lyophilized powder, usually 20mg).

    In the shop

  2. Water and supplies

    Bacteriostatic water, U-100 insulin syringes, alcohol swabs.

    In the shop

Reconstitution

Use the peptide calculator. A 20mg vial with 2ml water gives 10mg per ml. Just add the water to the vial and let it dissolve.

Step by step

Dissolving the powder

Four steps, the same for every vial size.

  1. 1Wipe the cap

    Clean the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab.

  2. 2Add BAC water

    Just add it, it does not matter if it hits the powder directly.

  3. 3Swirl or shake

    Until everything has dissolved, both are fine.

  4. 4Draw up

    With the U-100 insulin syringe.

Less water higher concentration fewer units on the syringe Example: 20 mg + 2 ml = 10 mg/ml

Dosing

Dosing

Dosing, titration and syringe

Loading the dosing information …

  • Getting started and stepping up, drawn as a staircase
  • Units on the U-100 syringe for every step
  • How long one vial lasts

Injection

The injection is subcutaneous, into the fat layer under the skin. Common spots are the abdomen (keep about two finger-widths clear of the navel), the front and the inner side of the thigh, or the back of the upper arm.

The short version:

Injection

Where and at what angle

Pick a spot or switch the angle. Subcutaneous means: into the fat layer, not the muscle.

Rotate the spot each time, never the same one twice in a row.

90°More fat under the skin

Rule of thumb: where there is more fat under the skin, insert straight at 90 degrees. In lean people with little fat, 45 degrees, so the needle stays in the fat layer. Simplified diagram.

  1. Clean the spot with an alcohol swab and let it dry

  2. Pinch up a small fold of skin

  3. Insert the needle: at 90 degrees where there is more fat under the skin, at 45 degrees in lean people with little fat

  4. Inject slowly, wait a moment, then withdraw

  5. Put the needle straight into the sharps container

Rotate the site each time so the tissue does not get irritated. Never the same spot twice in a row.

What the research shows

The Khavinson program has published numerous works on tissue-specific bioregulators over decades (overview: Khavinson, 2002), including effects on organ function and, in animal models, on lifespan. But the read must stay honest: the data come mostly from one research line, large independent studies are missing.

Block of heart muscle tissue with red fibre layers, fat and small vessels underneath, on a glass plate
The data mostly come from one research group, large independent studies are missing. Symbolic image.

Research status

Where the research stands

So far Cardiogen has been studied in cell cultures and in rats, almost only by the Khavinson group in St Petersburg. As of 26 Oct 2026. 9

  1. Preclinical Cell cultures and rat models
  2. Phase 1 no registered trial
  3. Phase 2 no registered trial
  4. Phase 3 no registered trial
  5. Approval not yet
No registered human trial and no known approval as a medicine. Cardiogen has only been studied preclinically so far.9

So far there is no registered trial in humans. 9

Side effects

  • Well tolerated in the available reports, mainly local reactions.
  • Solid, independent human safety data are limited.

Storage

Before mixing the powder is robust, normal room temperature (around 20 to 25 degrees) is fine, ideally kept in the dark. After mixing, keep in the fridge (2 to 8 degrees), do not freeze. It stays good there for at least 4 to 6 months with barely any loss of potency, in practice considerably longer. Swirl or shake to mix, both are fine.

Shelf life

How long it keeps

Undissolved (powder) Room temperature, around 20 to 25 degrees, dark

Robust, no fridge needed.

Dissolved (mixed) Fridge, 2 to 8 degrees, do not freeze

At least 4 to 6 months with barely any loss of potency.

  • Keep it dark
  • Dissolved: 2 to 8 degrees
  • Note the mixing date on the vial
Nine vials with white powder and blue caps in the door shelf of a bright fridge
Powder dark at room temperature, once dissolved into the fridge (2 to 8 degrees), stable there for at least 4 to 6 months. Symbolic image.

Related

Related compounds

Same common ground: all in the TPD lexicon.

Cardiogen
Bronchogen Tetrapeptide AEDL, bronchi Chonluten Tripeptide EDG, lungs and bronchi Cartalax Tripeptide AED, cartilage Epitalon Tetrapeptide AEDG, pineal gland Vilon Dipeptide KE, immune system Vesugen Tripeptide KED, blood vessels Pinealon Tripeptide EDR, brain Thymalin Peptide mixture from the thymus

FAQ

Common questions about Cardiogen

Short answers, each backed by the sources below.

Is Cardiogen approved or studied in humans?

As of 26 October 2026 the registry ClinicalTrials.gov lists no trial with the peptide Cardiogen. The hits for the word Cardiogen concern other things, such as a device for heart imaging. All data here come from cell cultures and rats.9

What is Cardiogen made of?

Of four amino acids: alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine, AEDR for short. According to the Khavinson group this tetrapeptide was found in a protein mixture from heart tissue and then rebuilt synthetically.83

What is known about the heart attack model?

A review by the Khavinson group writes that rats after an artificially induced heart attack died about three times less often with AEDR, less tissue died and the heart muscle kept more glycogen. It cites a patent as the source. We did not find a peer-reviewed study with these figures.3

What did the cell culture show?

In connective tissue cells from mouse embryos AEDR raised the cytoskeleton proteins actin, tubulin and vimentin 2- to 5-fold and the nuclear envelope proteins lamin A and C 2- to 3-fold. The authors see this as an explanation for the heart protection the group described earlier.2

What does Cardiogen have to do with tumours?

A study in old rats with a transplanted sarcoma found that Cardiogen slowed growth depending on the amount and more tumour cells died. The cell division data spoke against a direct inhibition of the tumour cells, so the authors suspect an effect via the tumour's vessel network. This has not been studied in humans.4

How is such a short peptide supposed to work?

The Khavinson group assumes that short peptides reach the cell nucleus and influence genes there. In the test tube AEDR bound to histones, the proteins DNA is wound around. On the computer it fits into the transporters PepT1 and LAT1 of the cell membrane. Whether this happens in the body has not been shown.56

Which side effects are known?

There are no solid data because Cardiogen has never been tested in a registered human trial. Statements about good tolerability come from the research group itself.91

Glossary

Terms explained briefly

Dotted words in the text open these explanations directly.

Bioregulator
Term from the Khavinson programme for short peptides that are meant to target a specific tissue. Not a term used in drug approval.
Cytoskeleton proteins
Proteins such as actin, tubulin and vimentin that give the cell shape and support and take part in division and movement.
Heart attack
A coronary artery closes, part of the heart muscle gets no oxygen and dies. In rats it is mimicked by tying off a vessel.
Histones
Proteins in the cell nucleus that DNA is wound around. How tightly it is wound helps decide which genes are read.
Khavinson programme
Research on peptide bioregulators that Vladimir Khavinson has built up in Russia since the 1970s. Most papers come from this group.
Lyophilisate
Freeze-dried powder. Without water a peptide keeps much longer.
PepT1 and LAT1
Transporters in the cell membrane for small peptides and amino acids. Whether Cardiogen uses them has only been calculated on the computer.
Preclinical
Research before first use in humans, in cell cultures and animal models. Results cannot be transferred directly to humans.
Sarcoma
Malignant tumour of connective or supporting tissue. In research such tumours are transplanted onto rats to test compounds.
Subcutaneous
Into the fat layer just under the skin.
Tetrapeptide
A chain of exactly four amino acids. For Cardiogen these are alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and arginine.

Evidence

Sources

Show all 9 sourcesHide sources 7 Studies1 Trial registry1 Database checked 26 Oct 2026

Studies

  1. AEDR raises cytoskeleton and nuclear envelope proteins in cell culture

    Khavinson et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2012

    DOI 10.1007/s10517-012-1766-9 PMID 22977870
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  2. Review of peptides and ageing of the heart and vessels

    Khavinson et al., Cells, 2022

    DOI 10.3390/cells12010106 PMID 36611900
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed, PMC (Volltext)
  3. Cardiogen in transplanted sarcoma in old rats

    Levdik und Knyazkin, Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2009

    DOI 10.1007/s10517-010-0730-9 PMID 20396706
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  4. Binding of short peptides to histones

    Fedoreyeva et al., Biochemistry (Moscow), 2013

    DOI 10.1134/S0006297913020053 PMID 23581987
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  5. Transport of short peptides via PepT1 and LAT1, computer model

    Khavinson et al., Biomolecules, 2023

    DOI 10.3390/biom13030552 PMID 36979488
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed, PMC (Volltext)
  6. Review of gene regulation by short peptides

    Khavinson et al., Molecules, 2021

    DOI 10.3390/molecules26227053 PMID 34834147
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed, PMC (Volltext)
  7. Review with names and amino acid sequences of the short peptides

    Khavinson et al., International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022

    DOI 10.3390/ijms23147733 PMID 35887081
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed, PMC (Volltext)

Trial registry

  1. Search on ClinicalTrials.gov (no trial with the peptide)

    ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine

    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2

Database

  1. Review of peptides and ageing from the Khavinson programme (PubMed record)

    Khavinson, Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 2002 (ohne DOI)

    PMID 12374906
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via PubMed

In the shop

Cardiogen in the catalog

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