All products are for laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption.
Longevity · Mitochondrial Health
The Cellular Protector
RM 550
Ignite your inner spark. SS-31 50 mg targets the very source of your energy, restoring mitochondrial vitality for effortless, all-day radiance.
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. This product is not a medicine and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Overview
SS-31 (Elamipretide) concentrates 1,000x more in the inner mitochondrial membrane than in the cytoplasm through passive electrostatic interaction with cardiolipin — the phospholipid uniquely enriched in the IMM. Once there, it stabilizes cristae architecture, neutralizes mitochondrial ROS at the source, and restores ATP production efficiency. Phase 2 data: 40% improvement in 6-minute walk test in heart failure patients.
Mechanism of action
Electrostatic concentration in the inner mitochondrial membrane
Reactive oxygen species neutralized at the point of generation
Stabilizes mitochondrial cristae for efficient electron transport
Key finding SS-31 concentrates 1,000x in the inner mitochondrial membrane via passive cardiolipin interaction — no active transport required. This extraordinary selectivity allows it to neutralize mitochondrial ROS at their source and restore cristae architecture, reversing the primary mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction in aging and disease.
Key research findings
Improvement in 6-minute walk test distance in Phase 2 HFpEF trial at 4 weeks versus placebo
Daubert MA et al. Eur J Heart Fail, 2020Concentration ratio in IMM versus cytoplasm — documented by fluorescent labeling and fractionation studies
Szeto HH. Pharm Res, 2011Exclusive cardiolipin-binding specificity — explains IMM selectivity without active transport
Birk AV et al. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2013MMAD trial: significant improvement in exercise capacity in HFpEF patients at 4 weeks
Kates AM et al. Circ Heart Fail, 2020Research areas
The most validated mitochondrial therapeutic for heart failure — Phase 2 human data showing functional improvement.
The gold standard research tool for IMM-specific intervention — 1,000x selectivity enables precise mitochondrial studies.
Mitochondrial dysfunction — driven by cardiolipin oxidation and ETC decline — is a primary aging mechanism.
SS-31 preconditioning protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury across cardiac, renal, and neural tissue.
Safety profile
SS-31 (Elamipretide) has completed Phase 2 human trials with a favorable safety profile. It is the most clinically validated mitochondria-targeted peptide.
Mild local reactions at injection site — consistent with Phase 2 data
No significant blood pressure effects documented in Phase 2
Low frequency hypersensitivity reactions reported in Phase 2
Potential interaction with other mitochondria-targeting compounds
Molecular profile
Frequently asked questions
SS-31’s peptide sequence contains alternating aromatic (Dmt, Phe) and cationic (D-Arg, Lys) residues. This creates an electrostatic charge pattern that interacts with the negative phosphate head groups of cardiolipin — a phospholipid uniquely concentrated in the inner mitochondrial membrane. This passive electrostatic interaction requires no energy expenditure and concentrates SS-31 precisely where it is needed.
Cardiolipin is a unique phospholipid with four fatty acid chains that is almost exclusively found in the inner mitochondrial membrane. It is essential for organizing the electron transport chain complexes into supercomplexes, maintaining cristae architecture, and supporting cytochrome c binding. Oxidation of cardiolipin — which occurs during mitochondrial stress — disrupts all of these functions. SS-31 binds cardiolipin, protects it from oxidation, and restores its functional interactions.
The MMAD trial (NCT02142673) studied Elamipretide (SS-31) in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) — a difficult-to-treat form of heart failure where the heart pumps normally but is stiff. At 4 weeks, SS-31 improved the 6-minute walk test distance by approximately 40% versus placebo — a clinically meaningful functional improvement in this patient population.
Mitochondrial cristae are the inner membrane folds where the electron transport chain complexes (I-V) reside. Their organization into supercomplexes on these cristae folds determines the efficiency of electron transfer and ATP production. In heart failure, cristae become disorganized — reducing ATP production efficiency precisely when the heart needs more energy. SS-31 restores cristae architecture, recovering ATP production.
Yes. Following Phase 2, Stealth BioTherapeutics and later Epirium Bio continued development. Phase 3 clinical programs have been initiated or are in planning for heart failure and Barth syndrome (a rare genetic cardiolipin disorder). The compound has Orphan Drug designation for Barth syndrome.
References
