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PeptideLimited humanNot FDA approved

Thymogen

L-glutamyl-L-tryptophan (Glu-Trp dipeptide)

Last reviewed October 27, 2026 · 17 sources · Written for general readers · Compare with another compound →

The bottom line

Thymogen is a two amino acid peptide registered as an immune medicine in Russia.[1] The same molecule, called IM862, was tested in Western cancer trials, and placebo controlled trials in 202 and 71 people found it worked no better than placebo.[2][3] Russian trials report immune and stomach lining benefits, but they are mostly small, and it is not approved in the US.

Where the evidence stands

What it is

Thymogen is a dipeptide, a chain of just two amino acids: glutamic acid and tryptophan. FDA's substance registry lists the same molecule under the drug name oglufanide.[4]

A 2024 review says it was first found in a fraction of thymalin, a calf thymus extract, and is registered with Russia's Ministry of Health.[1] Outside Russia, the same molecule was developed for cancer under the code name IM862.[5]

Name
Thymogen (L-glutamyl-L-tryptophan (Glu-Trp dipeptide))
Other names
Timogen, oglufanide, IM862, EW, Glu-Trp, alpha glutamyl tryptophan
Type
Peptide
Sequence
EW
CAS number
38101-59-6
Formula
C16H19N3O5
Molecular weight
About 333.3 g/mol

How it works

Thymogen is said to tune the immune system, and IM862 was tested as a drug to block new blood vessel growth in tumors.

  • The 2024 review says it helps restore white blood cells and T cells, a key type of immune cell, after chemotherapy.[1]
  • In a human immune cell line grown in a dish, it lowered inflammation signals and made cells stick less to blood vessel cells.[6]
  • In blood immune cells from four donors, EW lowered the inflammation signals IL1 beta, IL6 and TNF by 1.4 to 6 times after a bacterial trigger, and computer models predicted it binds a short DNA stretch.[7]
  • In a cancer trial, blood levels of VEGF, a signal that drives new blood vessel growth, fell during treatment.[5]

How it might work in people is not settled, and the immune theory rests mostly on Russian lab and small clinical work.

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

Older Russian animal studies and lab work

  • In rats given a chemical that causes throat and stomach tumors, Thymogen lowered how often and how many tumors formed.[8]
  • In a human immune cell line, it had the strongest effect of five Khavinson peptides at reducing immune cell sticking, and it most strongly cut the inflammation signal IL17.[6]
  • In human blood immune cells in a dish, it cut several inflammation signals after a bacterial trigger.[7]
  • In mice infected with flu, Thymogen injected into the belly was less effective than the flu drug rimantadine, while a mix with glycyrrhizic acid cut deaths by 75% to 79% compared with untreated mice.[9]

Limit: Most animal work is decades old, published in Russian, and comes from groups tied to the developers.

Human studies

Negative Western cancer trials and small Russian studies

  • In an early study of 44 people with HIV and Kaposi sarcoma, a skin and tissue cancer, IM862 nose drops were followed by tumor shrinkage in 36%, with 5 complete and 11 partial responses. There was no placebo group.[10]
  • A later placebo controlled trial of 202 people with the same cancer found tumors shrank about as often with IM862 as with placebo, and the cancer got worse sooner on IM862, at 16 versus 35 weeks.[2]
  • In a double blind trial of 71 men with prostate cancer, IM862 nasal spray did not slow the rise of PSA, a prostate cancer blood marker. At six months, PSA had risen in 41% on IM862 and 49% on placebo, a difference that could be chance. No significant side effects appeared.[3]
  • In 25 people with advanced kidney cancer, no tumors shrank. Side effects were mostly mild headaches and sinus irritation, and one person's bowel disease flared.[5]
  • In a Russian double blind, placebo controlled trial of 116 people with long term stomach lining damage linked to H. pylori bacteria, the number of stomach glands rose 26.1% in the treated group and ended higher than with placebo.[11]
  • A second look at 80 of these patients, 43 treated and 37 on placebo, found less stomach lining swelling and lower inflammation scores on camera exams.[12]
  • A 1993 Russian report in a military training unit said Thymogen given in the nose or under the skin cut the number, severity and length of colds and flu, but gives no numbers.[13]
  • A Russian study in older adults having abdominal cancer surgery reported better immune markers, fewer complications and faster recovery with a Thymogen nasal spray, but its summary gives no patient numbers.[14]

Limit: The controlled Western trials were in cancer and found no benefit. Proof for immune and stomach benefits rests on Russian studies from a small set of teams.

Claims check

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

Boosts the immune system

Mixed results

A Russian study in older adults having cancer surgery reported better immune markers and fewer complications with a nasal spray, but gave no patient numbers.[14] A 2024 review says it helps restore white blood cells after chemotherapy.[1] Western trials of the same molecule did not test immune benefits.

Fights cancer

No benefit in trials so far

An early uncontrolled study of 44 people with Kaposi sarcoma looked promising.[10] But a placebo controlled trial of 202 people found no benefit and faster worsening on IM862, a trial of 71 men with prostate cancer found no benefit, and no tumors shrank in 25 people with kidney cancer.[2][3][5]

Heals the stomach lining

Mixed results

One Russian placebo controlled trial of 116 people with H. pylori gastritis found 26.1% more stomach glands after treatment and less inflammation in a group of 80.[11][12] This comes from one team and has not been repeated elsewhere.

Prevents colds and flu

Mixed results

A 1993 Russian report in a military training unit said soldiers given Thymogen in the nose or under the skin had fewer, milder and shorter colds and flu, but it gives no numbers or description of the comparison group.[13] In mice infected with flu, Thymogen alone helped less than a standard flu drug, and only a mix with glycyrrhizic acid, a licorice compound, cut deaths by 75% to 79%.[9]

Lowers inflammation

Mixed results

In immune cells in a dish, it cut several inflammation signals by up to 6 times.[7] In people, the only support is lower stomach inflammation scores in one Russian trial.[12]

Slows aging

Not tested

We found no study testing Thymogen on aging or lifespan in animals or people. Its registered use in Russia is as an immune medicine.[1]

Known risks and side effects

  • Unregulated products. It is sold online outside pharmacies with no FDA review, so what is in the vial or capsule, how pure it is, and how much it holds are unknown.[15]
  • May worsen some cancers. In the largest trial, Kaposi sarcoma got worse faster with IM862 than with placebo.[2]
  • Mild side effects in trials. Trials reported mild headache, tiredness, tingling and nausea, sinus irritation, and one flare of bowel disease. A trial of 71 men found no significant side effects.[10][5][3]
  • Sport rules unclear. WADA does not name it. Its ban on unapproved drugs may not apply because it is registered in Russia, so athletes should check with their anti doping agency.[16][1]

Regulatory status

Today: Thymogen is registered as a medicine in Russia.[1] It is not approved by the FDA. Its US orphan drug status for AIDS related Kaposi sarcoma never led to approval.[17] It is not named on FDA's list of risky bulk substances for compounding as updated April 22, 2026.[15] WADA does not name it on its 2026 list.[16]

  1. FDA gave the molecule orphan drug status for AIDS related Kaposi sarcoma. It was never approved for that use.[17]
  2. A placebo controlled trial in 202 patients found IM862 was no better than placebo for Kaposi sarcoma.[2]
  3. Date of the Russian registration certificate cited in a 2024 review.[1]

Sources

  1. Deigin V, Linkova N, Vinogradova J, Vinogradov D, Polyakova V, Medvedev D, Krasichkov A, Volpina O. The First Reciprocal Activities of Chiral Peptide Pharmaceuticals: Thymogen and Thymodepressin, as Examples. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(9):5042. PMID 38732260
  2. Noy A, Scadden DT, Lee J, Dezube BJ, Aboulafia D, Tulpule A, Walmsley S, Gill P. Angiogenesis inhibitor IM862 is ineffective against AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma in a phase III trial, but demonstrates sustained, potent effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(5):990-8. PMID 15598977
  3. Mao S, Daliani DD, Wang X, Thall PF, Do KA, Perez CA, Brown MA, Bouchillon K, Carter CM, Logothetis CJ, Kim J. Employing the treatment-free interval of intermittent androgen ablation to screen candidate prostate cancer therapies. Prostate. 2007;67(15):1677-85. PMID 17879948
  4. U.S. FDA Global Substance Registration System. Oglufanide (UNII 4RHY598T5U). FDA GSRS
  5. Deplanque G, Madhusudan S, Jones PH, Wellmann S, Christodoulos K, Talbot DC, Ganesan TS, Blann A, Harris AL. Phase II trial of the antiangiogenic agent IM862 in metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Br J Cancer. 2004;91(9):1645-50. PMID 15354209
  6. Avolio F, Martinotti S, Khavinson VK, Esposito JE, Giambuzzi G, Marino A, Mironova E, Pulcini R, Robuffo I, Bologna G, Simeone P, Lanuti P, Guarnieri S, Trofimova S, Procopio AD, Toniato E. Peptides Regulating Proliferative Activity and Inflammatory Pathways in the Monocyte/Macrophage THP-1 Cell Line. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(7):3607. PMID 35408963
  7. Linkova N, Khavinson V, Diatlova A, Petukhov M, Vladimirova E, Sukhareva M, Ilina A. The Influence of KE and EW Dipeptides in the Composition of the Thymalin Drug on Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis Involved in the Pathogenesis of COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(17):13377. PMID 37686182
  8. Bespalov VG, Troian DN, Petrov AS, Morozov VG, Khavinson VKh. [Inhibiting effect of thymogen on the development of tumors of the esophagus and forestomach induced by N-nitrososarcosine ethyl ester in rats]. Eksp Onkol. 1989;11(4):23-6. PMID 2759010
  9. Smirnov VS, Zarubaev VV, Anfimov PM, Shtro AA. [Effect of a combination of glutamyl-tryptophan and glycyrrhizic acid on the course of acute infection caused by influenza (H3H2) virus in mice]. Vopr Virusol. 2012;57(3):23-7. PMID 22905423
  10. Tulpule A, Scadden DT, Espina BM, Cabriales S, Howard W, Shea K, Gill PS. Results of a randomized study of IM862 nasal solution in the treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. J Clin Oncol. 2000;18(4):716-23. PMID 10673512
  11. Baryshnikova NV, Uspensky YP, Fominykh YA, Kalinina EY, Krylova YS, Krasnov AA, Petlenko SV, Apryatina VA. [Repair stimulator alpha-glutamyl-tryptophan in the complex therapy of chronic atrophic gastritis: results of histological examination]. Arkh Patol. 2023;85(3):54-63. PMID 37272441
  12. Baryshnikova NV, Uspenskiy YP, Fominykh YA, Petlenko SV, Zaplutanov VA, Apryatina VA, Krasnov AA. [Endoscopic and morphometric analysis of the reduction of acute inflammatory process in the gastric mucosa after therapy with Regasthym Gastro]. Ter Arkh. 2023;95(4):322-326. PMID 38158980
  13. Furgal SM, Degtiarev AA, Seryi SV, Khavinson VKh. [The clinico-epidemiological efficacy of thymogen in acute respiratory viral infections in a military collective]. Voen Med Zh. 1993;(2):31-2, 80. PMID 8498021
  14. Smirnov VS, Petlenko SV, El'tsin SS. [Application thymogen for preoperative preparation of elderly patients with tumor processes in abdominal cavity]. Adv Gerontol. 2011;24(2):278-84. PMID 21957588
  15. 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
  16. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Code International Standard. In force January 1, 2026. WADA 2026
  17. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Orphan Products Development. Orphan drug designation: L-glutamyl-L-tryptophan, treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Designated October 20, 1999. FDA orphan designation
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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