Selank

Also called Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro, TKPRPGP, selank acetate, TP-7, Селанк^{1, 7}

Selank is a 7-amino-acid peptide built from tuftsin, a tiny piece of the antibody IgG, with a tail added to make it last longer.⁸ Russia sells it as anti-anxiety nose drops.⁷ Its human evidence is a few small Russian studies, of 20 to 70 patients, mostly comparing it with benzodiazepines rather than a placebo.^{10, 11, 12} FDA has never reviewed it at an advisory meeting, and it isn't in the Oct 2026 HHS policy, so in the US it is sold only as a research chemical.^{1, 3, 18}

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At a glance

Where to get it

MoveWell sells no peptides and links only to legal options. All options

Molecular structure

A short straight chain of 7 amino acids. The first four are tuftsin. The last three, Pro-Gly-Pro, were added so it breaks down more slowly.

The Pro-Gly-Pro tail (residues 5 to 7)

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TThrKLysPProRArgPProGGlyPPro

Sequence

TKPRPGP

Length

7 amino acids

Formula

C33H57N11O9

Weight

751.9 g/mol

Russian salt

Diacetate

Drawn from the sequence on the Russian label. Formula and weight are calculated for the free base; FDA has not published an identity review.⁷

What it is

Tuftsin is a four-amino-acid piece of the antibody IgG, "the short Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg fragment of the human immunoglobulin G heavy chain."⁸ It stimulates immune cells that swallow germs.⁹ Selank adds Pro-Gly-Pro to tuftsin "to improve its metabolic stability."⁸

It was designed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with a Moscow pharmacology institute.⁸ Its sibling semax comes from the same lab and has the same tail.

In Russia, PEPTOGEN sells Selank 0.15% nose drops as an anxiolytic, an anti-anxiety drug, for anxiety and stress-related disorders. The listing shows it as over the counter and for adults only.⁷

How it works

The proposed mechanisms come from animal and lab work.

• GABA system. In rats it changed the activity of genes linked to GABA, the brain's main calming signal. The authors' hypothesis is that it acts on GABA-A receptors, the same receptors benzodiazepines act on.⁸
• Enkephalins. In human serum in a dish, it slowed enzymes that break down enkephalins, the body's own opioid-like peptides.¹⁵
• Immune link. Its tuftsin half acts on immune cells.⁹ Whether selank does this in people is not established.

We found no study of how the human body absorbs or clears it.

Evidence map

Each claimed use is graded separately, because the evidence differs by use.

Scale: 5 FDA-approved, 4 strong human, 3 limited human, 2 animal or lab only, 1 anecdotal

Key studies

All human studies above are Russian, small and from groups linked to the developers. We found no trial on ClinicalTrials.gov. A provider's own guide calls the human data "small, mostly developer-affiliated Russian studies."¹⁸

By goal and route

Pick your goal to see what the evidence supports.

Sources: FDA,¹ HHS Appendix B,³ Russian label.⁷

How it's used

We don't give a dose. No trial to US standards has set one, and there is no legal US product.

In Russia it is sold as nose drops.⁷ The Russian studies gave it for about two to three weeks; one states it was given in the nose.^{12, 13} We report this as information, not instruction.

Side effects and who should avoid it

• Allergy. The Russian label lists allergic reactions in people sensitive to it. Drops running into the throat can taste unpleasant.⁷
• Immune reactions. FDA says compounded selank acetate "may pose risk for immunogenicity."¹
• Missing data. FDA "lacks important information regarding any safety issues raised by selank acetate administered to humans."¹ We found no published toxicity studies.
• Who should avoid it. The Russian label rules it out in pregnancy, breastfeeding and under 18.⁷
• With other calming drugs. One study gave it with phenazepam. Beyond that, we found no data on combining it with other anxiety or sleep drugs.¹²
• Online products. A Belgian medicines lab found selank and semax in seized products sold as cognitive enhancers, as powders for injection and as nasal sprays.¹⁷

Proven treatments for anxiety exist, including therapy and FDA-approved medicines. See a clinician first.

Compared with

Sources: Russian label,⁷ McDermott,⁶ HHS Appendix B.³ See our semax guide.

Stacks

Selank is often sold online mixed with semax in one nasal spray. We found no study of that mix; one brain-scan study gave each to different people.¹⁴ In the US, any selank product is outside the law, and the HHS policy bars blends even for the peptides it covers.^{3, 4}

Myths vs evidence

All options

MoveWell sells no peptides. Checked November 1, 2026

Licensed compounding, with a prescription

None. Selank is on FDA's "nominated but withdrawn" list, which doesn't permit compounding, and it isn't one of the six peptides in the HHS policy.^{1, 3} Superpower, which plans other peptides under the policy, doesn't list it.¹⁹ Telehealth pages offering "selank prescriptions" have no lawful product to fill them with, so we don't link them.

Research use only products

We don't list sellers. In August 2026 FDA warned five peptide sellers that a "research use only" label doesn't excuse products clearly meant for people.²⁰

Legal status history

Newest first.

1. Current statusNov 1, 2026Not FDA-approved. Not on the 503A bulks list. Not in the HHS enforcement policy. Approved in Russia.^{1, 3, 7}
2. Next · no dateNo FDA review is scheduled that we could find.
3. Oct 28, 2026HHS enforcement discretion policy covers BPC-157, TB-500, epitalon, semax, KPV and MOTS-c. Selank is not included.^{3, 4}
4. Jul 23–24, 2026FDA's compounding advisers review seven peptides. Selank is not on the agenda.^{5, 6}
5. Jul 15, 2025Russia re-registers Selank 0.15% nose drops under a new number.⁷
6. Sep 27, 2024Removed from Category 2 after the nominator withdrew it. That did not make it legal to compound.²
7. Before Sep 2024In Category 2, with FDA citing immune risk and missing safety data.^{1, 2}

See every peptide's status in the regulatory tracker.

FAQ

Related guides

References