Dihexa

Safety Profile

How It Works

Dihexa is a modified version of a natural brain signaling molecule called angiotensin IV. It was engineered to survive digestion and cross from the bloodstream into the brain. Once there, it appears to activate growth-promoting pathways that cause brain cells to build new connections between neurons -- essentially constructing new communication pathways rather than just temporarily boosting brain chemicals. The exact upstream receptor target remains uncertain because the main study claiming direct c-Met activation was retracted, but independent work confirmed downstream PI3K/AKT signaling involvement. In mice and rats, this has been shown to improve learning and memory, reduce brain inflammation, and protect neurons from dying.

Reported Dosing References

Derived from community reports in online communities.

Studies

Evidence tier 5: All published evidence for Dihexa consists exclusively of animal (rodent) and in vitro studies.

Legal Status

Not FDA-approved for any indication. Not listed on the FDA's Category 2 compounding restrictions list (it is not among the peptides that were placed in Category 2). No FDA drug application or IND is publicly known for dihexa itself. No matches found in FDA DrugsAtFDA, FAERS, or drug labeling databases. No ClinicalTrials.gov records. The related compound ATH-1017 (developed by Athira Pharma from dihexa) entered clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease but is a distinct molecule.