SS-31™

SS-31, also known as elamipretide, is a synthetic peptide being studied primarily for its effects on mitochondrial function.

What it is

SS-31 is a small, cell-permeable peptide (sometimes classified as a “mitochondria-targeted peptide” or part of the Szeto-Schiller peptide series, hence “SS”). It was developed by researchers Hazel Szeto and Peter Schiller in the early 2000s.

How it’s thought to work

SS-31 concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it binds to cardiolipin, a phospholipid critical to mitochondrial structure and function. By stabilizing cardiolipin, it’s theorized to:

• Reduce excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
• Improve efficiency of the electron transport chain (ATP production)
• Protect mitochondrial membrane integrity under stress

Research status

SS-31/elamipretide has been studied in clinical trials for a range of conditions linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, including:

• Heart failure (particularly diastolic dysfunction)
• Barth syndrome (a rare genetic mitochondrial disorder) — this is the furthest along, with some trial data submitted to regulators
• Ischemia-reperfusion injury (e.g., during kidney or cardiac surgery)
• Age-related conditions, including some early research into exercise capacity and dry age-related macular degeneration (under the name Elamipretide or MTP-131, including an eye-drop formulation called Luvena/various other sponsor names)

As of my knowledge, it has not received full FDA approval for any indication — trial results have been mixed, with some studies not meeting primary endpoints.

Important caveats

• It’s not an approved prescription drug for general use, and isn’t legal or appropriate for off-label self-administration.
• Much of what’s sold online as “SS-31” in the research-chemical/peptide marketplace is unregulated, of unverified purity, and intended for lab research only — not human use.