What is dihexa, and what is it studied for?
Dihexa, N-hexanoic-Tyr-Ile-(6)-aminohexanoic amide, is a synthetic derivative of angiotensin IV, formula C27H44N4O5, mass 504.7, CAS 1401708-83-5, designed at Washington State University for metabolic stability and blood-brain-barrier penetration. It is studied in cell and rodent models for its reported action on the hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met receptor system. No certificate for the current stock has been published; the product page says so. The material is for in-vitro research only.
What is the structure of Dihexa?
A hexanoyl cap, two natural residues (tyrosine, isoleucine) and a 6-aminohexanoic acid spacer with a C-terminal amide: closer to a peptidomimetic than a conventional peptide, with no free termini and only one hydrolysable native bond. The tyrosine gives an A280 signal; the hexanoyl chain makes it hydrophobic.
| Identifier | Value |
|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C27H44N4O5 |
| Molecular weight | 504.7 g/mol |
| Residues | not recorded |
| CAS number | 1401708-83-5 |
| PubChem CID | 129010512 |
| Current lot | not recorded |
How is Dihexa thought to work?
Reported by McCoy and colleagues in 2013 and Benoist and colleagues in 2014 to facilitate hepatocyte growth factor activation of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase, with synaptogenic readouts in cultured neurons that were dependent on c-Met signalling. The angiotensin IV receptor assignment of the parent peptide is itself debated.
Which research areas use Dihexa?
| Area | Typical models and endpoints |
|---|---|
| HGF/c-Met signalling | Receptor phosphorylation and downstream assays in cultured cells. |
| Synaptogenesis models | Dendritic-spine and synaptic-marker readouts in neuronal cultures. |
| Rodent cognition models | Behavioural work in the original Washington State publications. |
| Peptidomimetic stability | A case study in capping and spacer design for metabolic stability. |
What does the published literature show?
McCoy et al. (Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2013) and Benoist et al. (same journal, 2014) describe the compound in cells and rats. The work is from one laboratory group; there is no clinical programme. Research use is in-vitro and preclinical.
How is Dihexa handled in the laboratory?
Poorly soluble in water alone; dissolve in a small volume of DMSO or ethanol and dilute into buffer, as for a hydrophobic small molecule. Stable in solution relative to peptides. Store lyophilized at minus 20 °C; keep stocks in organic solvent frozen. The concentration table covers volumes and syringe units; the storage guide covers stability by compound class.
What does the current certificate show?
A laboratory certificate for the current lot has not been published yet; email support with the lot number on your vial and we will send it. Sold as 5 mg per vial at $140, for laboratory research only.
Certificate history for Dihexa
Every certificate the library holds for this compound, newest first. A replaced lot stays listed so the history can be read; the certificate dataset reads all 114 together.
No certificate for this compound has been published yet.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no certificate?
Because the laboratory has not issued one for the current stock. The product page states it; ask support for the lot report before ordering.
Is dihexa an angiotensin IV receptor ligand?
It is derived from angiotensin IV, but the mechanism its developers report runs through HGF and c-Met, and the identity of the parent peptide's receptor is itself contested in the literature.
Why dissolve it in organic solvent?
Because the hexanoyl cap and the spacer make it hydrophobic. A DMSO stock diluted into buffer is the usual approach, with a matching vehicle control.
References
- McCoy AT, Benoist CC, Wright JW, et al. Evaluation of metabolically stabilized angiotensin IV analogs as procognitive/antidementia agents. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2013;344(1):141-154.
- Benoist CC, Kawas LH, Zhu M, et al. The procognitive and synaptogenic effects of angiotensin IV-derived peptides are dependent on activation of the hepatocyte growth factor/c-met system. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2014;351(2):390-402.
- PubChem CID 129010512, Dihexa. National Library of Medicine. Read 2 October 2026.
Clinical results cited above describe regulated trials of pharmaceutical products and are given as context for research interest only. Nothing on this page describes or recommends use of the material sold here in humans or animals.
Dihexa 5 mg
$140 per vial
Certificate on request
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