SS-31 (Elamipretide)

What Is SS-31 (Elamipretide)?

SS-31 (D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH₂), also known as Elamipretide or MTP-131, is a mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide developed by Hazel Szeto and Peter Schiller. It selectively concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) where it binds cardiolipin — a phospholipid essential for cristae organization, electron transport chain (ETC) efficiency, and mitochondrial membrane potential. This targeted mechanism makes SS-31 a uniquely specific research tool for studying mitochondrial biology.

SS-31 has completed Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), Barth syndrome, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, and other mitochondrial diseases — making it one of the most clinically investigated research peptides in the longevity/mitochondria space, and providing a substantial human safety dataset for research reference.

Research & Published Studies

• Szeto et al. (Nature Med, multiple): SS-31 reverses age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle, cardiac tissue, and kidney — improving ETC Complex I/III activity, reducing ROS production, and restoring mitochondrial structure in aged animals.
• Cardiolipin binding mechanism: SS-31's interaction with cardiolipin stabilizes cristae architecture, which is disrupted in aging and disease. This prevents cytochrome c release and maintains ETC supercomplex assembly — critical mechanisms for efficient oxidative phosphorylation.
• Heart failure Phase 2 (Dauber et al.): STRIVE-HF trial demonstrated SS-31 improved 6-minute walk distance and reduced NT-proBNP in HFpEF patients — the first mitochondria-targeted therapy to show clinical benefit in this indication.
• Aging reversal research: SS-31 restores mitochondrial function in aged muscle comparable to that of young animals after as little as 8 days of administration — one of the most dramatic rejuvenation responses documented for a research compound.
• Renal protection: SS-31 demonstrated significant kidney protection in ischemia-reperfusion injury models and clinical renal protection studies, establishing its utility across multiple organ systems.

Research Use Cases

• Mitochondrial biology and cardiolipin research
• Age-related mitochondrial dysfunction models
• Electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation studies
• Heart failure and cardiac metabolism research
• Longevity stack research (SS-31 + NAD+ + MOTS-c + Epithalon)
• Renal ischemia-reperfusion protection studies

Specifications

Related Research Compounds