Livagen

Overview

Livagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala / KEDA) from the Khavinson short-peptide 'bioregulator' series, developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Marketed in Russia primarily as a food-supplement-grade cytomax; not FDA-approved in the US; research-use only.

Mechanism of Action

Khavinson-group studies report that Livagen induces activation of ribosomal genes, decondensation of pericentromeric heterochromatin, and de-repression of genes silenced during aging in lymphocytes from elderly donors. Proposed activity is direct binding to DNA / chromatin. Western pharmacology literature has not independently characterized its mechanism.

Research Summary

Evidence base is essentially single-lab (Khavinson, Lezhava, and collaborators). In vitro studies on lymphocyte chromatin in elderly subjects and small Russian reports in chronic gastritis and immune senescence. No FDA-registered clinical trials and no Western RCTs.

Dosing Information

Reported Side Effects

• Injection site irritation
• Rare hypersensitivity

Research References

• Khavinson et al. — Effects of Livagen peptide on chromatin activation in lymphocytes from old people (Bull Exp Biol Med) (2002)
• Khavinson, Lezhava, Malinin — Effects of short peptides on lymphocyte chromatin in senile subjects (includes Livagen, Bull Exp Biol Med) (2004)
• Khavinson, Kuznik, Ryzhak — Peptide bioregulators: clinical studies results (Adv Gerontol, Russian) (2013)