Peptides

SS-31 (Elamipretide): Complete Research Guide

SS-31 (Elamipretide) is a synthetic, mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide developed by researchers Hazel Szeto and Peter Schiller.

📖 5 min read 🗓️ Updated August 2026 ✍️ Compound X Research Team 🇺🇸 US, UK, CA & AU Sourcing
SS-31 (Elamipretide) research guide cover

🔬 Studied for: Mitochondrial-Disease Research

💊 Also studied for: Cardiac & Age-Related Research

🧪 Not FDA-approved — sold strictly for laboratory research

📈 No standardized human dosage established in published literature

What Is SS-31 (Elamipretide)?

SS-31 (Elamipretide) is a synthetic, mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide developed by researchers Hazel Szeto and Peter Schiller. It is among the more clinically advanced compounds in this category, having progressed through multiple human clinical trials for mitochondrial disease.

Mechanism of Action

SS-31 selectively binds cardiolipin, a phospholipid unique to the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it is studied for stabilizing mitochondrial cristae structure and improving electron-transport-chain efficiency — a distinct mechanism from peptides that act at cell-surface receptors.

Studied Benefits

These are effects SS-31 (Elamipretide) has been studied for in available preclinical and early research — not claims about guaranteed outcomes.

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Mitochondrial-Disease Research

SS-31 has been studied in human clinical trials for Barth syndrome, a rare genetic mitochondrial disorder, and in research on mitochondrial dysfunction more broadly, giving it a more developed clinical research record than most peptides in this category.

Cardiac & Age-Related Research

Beyond rare-disease research, SS-31 has been studied in models of heart failure and age-related mitochondrial decline, reflecting broader interest in cardiolipin-targeted therapeutics for conditions involving mitochondrial dysfunction.

Dosing Guide

What the research shows

Doses used in published clinical trials are documented in that trial literature and are specific to those regulated study protocols; no FDA-approved commercial dosage exists for SS-31 research material.

Compound X does not provide dosing recommendations. SS-31 (Elamipretide) is sold for laboratory research use only and is not intended for human consumption.

Reported Side Effects

As a clinically trialed compound, SS-31/Elamipretide has published human safety data from its trial programs, including reports of injection-site reactions; it has not, however, received full FDA approval for a marketed indication, and research-grade material outside those regulated trials has not undergone the same quality controls.

FAQ

Is SS-31 (Elamipretide) FDA-approved?

No. SS-31 (Elamipretide) is not FDA-approved for any indication and is sold strictly as a research chemical, not a medication or dietary supplement.

What is SS-31 (Elamipretide) commonly studied for?

Mitochondrial-Disease Research — SS-31 has been studied in human clinical trials for Barth syndrome, a rare genetic mitochondrial disorder, and in research on mitochondrial dysfunction more broadly, giving it a more developed clinical research record than most peptides in this category.

Is SS-31 (Elamipretide) legal to buy in the US?

In the US, UK, Canada and Australia, SS-31 (Elamipretide) is generally sold labeled "for research use only, not for human consumption." It is not approved as a dietary supplement or medication in any of these countries.

References

SS-31/Elamipretide clinical trial data is indexed on PubMed under "Elamipretide SS-31 mitochondrial" and "Szeto-Schiller peptide cardiolipin."

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