Thymosin Alpha-1

What it is

Thymosin alpha-1 is a 28-amino-acid peptide first isolated from thymus tissue by Allan Goldstein's group in the 1970s. The synthetic version, thymalfasin, is sold as Zadaxin.

How it works

It acts on toll-like receptors on dendritic cells and other immune cells, boosting T-cell maturation and the body's response to viral infections and vaccines.

What the research shows

• Clinical trials, mostly outside the US, studied it for chronic hepatitis B and C and as an add-on to vaccines in people with weak immune responses.
• It has been studied in severe infections and as supportive therapy in some cancers.

Regulatory status

Approved in more than 30 countries, mainly for hepatitis B and as an immune enhancer. It is not approved by the FDA.

Storage and handling

Lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder is most stable sealed, dry and protected from light. Laboratory practice is to keep unopened vials frozen at about -20 °C for long-term storage, or refrigerated at 2 to 8 °C for shorter periods. After reconstitution, keep the solution refrigerated at 2 to 8 °C, avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles and use aseptic technique for every draw. Formal stability data in solution has not been published for most research peptides, so follow the supplier's label and certificate of analysis.

Reconstitution math

To work out concentration, volume and U-100 syringe units for any vial size, use the reconstitution calculator with Thymosin Alpha-1 selected. Always confirm the vial content against the label and the batch's certificate of analysis.

Key references

• Goldstein AL, Goldstein AL. From lab to bedside: emerging clinical applications of thymosin alpha 1. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2009.
• Search PubMed for Thymosin Alpha-1 studies

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