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PeptideMostly animalNot FDA approved

Adipotide

Prohibitin targeting peptide 1

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · 10 sources · Written for general readers · Compare with another compound →

The bottom line

Adipotide caused fast fat loss in obese mice, rats and monkeys by killing the blood vessels that feed fat, and it partly works by making animals eat less. It also changed kidney function in monkeys. Its only human trial enrolled just 4 people and was stopped with no published results, so every claim about it in people is untested.

Where the evidence stands

What it is

Adipotide is a lab made peptide designed by researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.[1][2] It has two parts joined together: a homing piece that sticks to fat tissue blood vessels, and a piece that makes cells die.[3]

The homing piece is a 9 amino acid ring, CKGGRAKDC, found by screening huge libraries of peptides in live animals. It binds prohibitin, a protein found on the blood vessels that feed white fat.[1] The cell killing piece is built from D amino acids, which are mirror image forms of normal amino acids.[3]

It has never been approved for any use, and its only human trial was stopped early.[4]

Name
Adipotide (Prohibitin targeting peptide 1)
Other names
FTPP, Prohibitin-TP01, prohibitin targeting peptide
Type
Peptide
Sequence
CKGGRAKDC-GG-D(KLAKLAK)2

What it does in the body

Adipotide does not occur in nature. It is a two part lab made peptide: one part homes to prohibitin on the blood vessels that feed white fat, and the other part triggers those vessel cells to die.[1][3]

This is the biology, area by area. A change measured in the body, like a higher blood level, does not always mean a person feels a benefit. The claims check below covers that.

Fat tissue

Seen in animals

In obese mice, killing the fat blood supply destroyed white fat and reversed obesity.[1] In obese monkeys treated for four weeks, weight fell about 11 percent and belly fat about 27 percent on MRI, while lean monkeys did not lose weight.[2][3]

Appetite and brain

Seen in animals

In mice and rats given the peptide for 4 or 27 days, animals ate less, without signs of feeling sick, and calorie burn did not change. Blood leptin, a fat hormone, and a hypothalamus appetite signal called POMC both fell.[5] The monkeys did not refuse food.[2]

Blood sugar and insulin

Seen in animals

Treated obese monkeys became more sensitive to insulin and needed about half as much insulin after treatment.[2][3] In mice, a nanoparticle version of the same homing and killing pieces lowered leptin, raised adiponectin, a hormone made by fat tissue, and reduced fat in the liver and muscle.[7]

Kidneys

Seen in animals

In monkeys from three species, it caused changes in the proximal tubules, the first filtering tubes of the kidney, at the doses that worked. The authors called these changes predictable and reversible.[3]

Human fat tissue samples

Lab finding

The target protein, prohibitin, was also found on blood vessels in human white fat samples, which is why researchers thought the approach might carry over to people.[1] No one has shown what the drug does inside a living person.[4]

How it works

Adipotide works more like a targeted poison than a hormone.

  • It finds prohibitin on blood vessels in white fat.[1]
  • It then triggers those vessel cells to die. Without a blood supply, the fat tissue is broken down and absorbed by the body.[1][2]
  • In rats and mice, treated animals also ate less, and fat loss happened without any change in calories burned.[5]
  • Prohibitin also appears on blood vessels in human white fat, which is why researchers hoped it might work in people.[1]

This mechanism is well shown in animals but has not been confirmed in people. One scientist argued in a published comment that eating less, not vessel death, may explain much of the weight loss.[6]

What the research shows

We keep animal and human evidence apart. A result in animals is a reason to study something in people, not proof that it works in people.

Animal and lab studies

Strong fat loss in animals, with kidney effects

  • Mice, 2004: targeting fat blood vessels destroyed white fat and reversed obesity in genetically obese mice, and the study reported no obvious side effects.[1] MD Anderson later said the mice lost about 30 percent of body weight.[2]
  • Mice and rats, 2010: a separate team found the peptide fully reversed obesity in mice fed a high fat diet, but not in mice on a low fat diet. Treated animals ate less, calorie burn did not change, and leptin levels fell.[5]
  • Monkeys, 2011: obese rhesus monkeys treated for four weeks lost about 11 percent of body weight on average, and belly fat fell about 27 percent on MRI. Weight kept falling for three weeks after treatment stopped, then slowly began to return.[2]
  • The treated monkeys needed about half as much insulin, stayed alert and showed no nausea or food refusal. Lean monkeys did not lose weight.[2][3]
  • Kidney function changed in monkeys from three species. The authors called these changes predictable and reversible.[3]
  • Mice, 2013: another team packed the same homing and killing pieces into tiny fat particles and compared them with adipotide. At a low dose the particle version cut weight and fat in the liver and muscle without signs of liver damage.[7]

Limit: Results come from small groups of animals, and kidney effects showed up even at the doses that worked.

Human studies

One tiny human trial, stopped early

  • MD Anderson ran a first in human trial in men with advanced prostate cancer and obesity, using daily shots. It enrolled only 4 people and was stopped at the lead researcher's request.[4][2]
  • We found no published results from this trial, so nothing is known about how people felt, how much weight they lost, or what side effects they had.

Limit: There is no meaningful evidence about safety or weight loss in people.

Claims check

The most common claims about this compound, and what studies actually found. Verdicts rate the evidence, not whether you should use it.

Melts stored body fat fast

Only in animals

In genetically obese mice, the treatment destroyed white fat and quickly reversed obesity.[1] MD Anderson reported the mice lost about 30 percent of body weight.[2] In obese rhesus monkeys treated for four weeks, weight fell 11 percent on average while untreated monkeys did not change.[2] No human data exist.[4]

Targets belly fat

Only in animals

In the monkey study, MRI scans showed belly fat fell about 27 percent in treated monkeys, while it rose slightly in untreated ones.[2] Waist size also shrank.[2] This has never been measured in people.

Reverses insulin resistance

Only in animals

Treated obese monkeys became more sensitive to insulin and needed about half as much insulin after treatment.[2][3] In mice the authors reported normal metabolic function after treatment.[1] It has not been tested in people.

Curbs appetite

Only in animals

A 2010 study in mice and rats found that animals given the peptide for 4 or 27 days ate less food, which likely added to their weight loss. Calorie burn did not change, and a taste test showed no signs that the animals felt sick.[5] The monkeys also showed no food refusal.[2] Appetite has never been measured in people.

Works even on a normal diet

Only in animals

In the 2010 rodent study, the peptide reversed obesity in mice and cut weight in rats fed a high fat diet, but did not reduce weight in animals on a low fat diet.[5] In monkeys, lean animals did not lose weight.[2] So in animals it acted mainly on excess fat.

Safe for people to use

Not tested

Its only human trial, in men with advanced prostate cancer and obesity, enrolled 4 people and was stopped with no posted results.[4] In monkeys, kidney function changed in three species at the doses that worked.[3]

Known risks and side effects

  • Kidney effects. Kidney function changed in treated monkeys from three species, which was the main side effect seen.[3][2]
  • It kills tissue on purpose. The drug is built to destroy cells, and its effects in people are unknown.[1][3]
  • Weight can come back. In monkeys, weight began to return about four weeks after treatment stopped.[2]
  • Unregulated products. No approved version exists, so anything sold online is unchecked for identity, purity or strength. FDA warns that drugs sold online as research use only have unknown quality.[8]
  • Banned in sport. As an unapproved drug, it likely falls under WADA's S0 class, which bans unapproved substances at all times.[9]

Regulatory status

Today: Adipotide is not approved anywhere, and its only registered human trial was terminated.[4] It is not on FDA's Category 2 safety risk list as of April 2026.[10]

  1. Mouse study shows targeting fat blood vessels reverses obesity.[1]
  2. A rodent study finds the peptide also cuts food intake.[5]
  3. Monkey study published in Science Translational Medicine.[2][3]
  4. First in human trial begins at MD Anderson.[4]
  5. Trial ends as terminated after enrolling 4 people.[4]

Sources

  1. Kolonin MG, Saha PK, Chan L, Pasqualini R, Arap W. Reversal of obesity by targeted ablation of adipose tissue. Nat Med. 2004;10(6):625-632. PMID 15133506
  2. MD Anderson Cancer Center. Obese monkeys lose weight on drug that attacks blood supply of fat cells. News release, November 9, 2011. MD Anderson release
  3. Barnhart KF, Christianson DR, Hanley PW, et al. A peptidomimetic targeting white fat causes weight loss and improved insulin resistance in obese monkeys. Sci Transl Med. 2011;3(108):108ra112. PMID 22072637
  4. ClinicalTrials.gov. A First-in-Man, Phase I Evaluation of A Single Cycle of Prohibitin Targeting Peptide 1 in Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer and Obesity. NCT01262664. NCT01262664
  5. Kim DH, Woods SC, Seeley RJ. Peptide designed to elicit apoptosis in adipose tissue endothelium reduces food intake and body weight. Diabetes. 2010;59(4):907-915. PMID 20103704
  6. Criscione L. Comment on "A peptidomimetic targeting white fat causes weight loss and improved insulin resistance in obese monkeys". Sci Transl Med. 2012;4(131):131le2. PMID 22539771
  7. Hossen N, Kajimoto K, Akita H, Hyodo M, Harashima H. A comparative study between nanoparticle-targeted therapeutics and bioconjugates as obesity medication. J Control Release. 2013;171(2):104-112. PMID 23871959
  8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss. Content current as of October 1, 2026. FDA safety page
  9. World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2026. Effective January 1, 2026. WADA 2026 Prohibited List
  10. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. Content current as of April 22, 2026. FDA Category 2 list
Medical disclaimer

This page is educational information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace care from a licensed medical provider. Do not use this page to decide whether to take any substance. Talk to a licensed medical provider first.

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