Evidence review / The source record
TB-500 References and Citations
The full source list behind every graded claim — peer-reviewed studies, analytical methods, and the FDA regulatory pages, with linked proof.
The TB-500 reference list
These are the TB-500 references and citations behind every graded claim on this site. The peer-reviewed studies span the structural biochemistry of actin sequestration, the preclinical wound, cardiac, neurological and hair findings, the human Phase 1 work on full-length thymosin beta-4, and the analytical anti-doping methods built for the TB-500 product class. The regulatory facts are cited to FDA's own pages.
Where a finding rests on full-length thymosin beta-4 rather than the Ac-LKKTETQ fragment, the body text says so; the citation list below preserves the original study so the distinction can be checked at the source. Every numbered marker across the research, dosage, detection, legal-status and FAQ pages resolves to an entry here.
- Irobi E, Aguda AH, Larsson M, et al. Structural basis of actin sequestration by thymosin-beta4: implications for WH2 proteins. EMBO J. 2004;23(18):3599-3608. ↗
- Bock-Marquette I, Saxena A, White MD, Dimaio JM, Srivastava D. Thymosin beta4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair. Nature. 2004;432(7016):466-472. ↗
- Malinda KM, Sidhu GS, Mani H, et al. Thymosin beta4 accelerates wound healing. J Invest Dermatol. 1999;113(3):364-368. ↗
- Morris DC, Cui Y, Cheung WL, et al. A dose-response study of thymosin β4 for the treatment of acute stroke. J Neurol Sci. 2014;345(1-2):61-67. ↗
- Goldstein AL, Hannappel E, Sosne G, Kleinman HK. Thymosin β4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide. Basic properties and clinical applications. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2012;12(1):37-51. ↗
- Ruff D, Crockford D, Girardi G, Zhang Y. A randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dose study of intravenous thymosin β4 in healthy volunteers. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:223-229. ↗
- Cooper TM, Sniegowski MC, et al. Doping control analysis of TB-500, a synthetic version of an active region of thymosin β4, in equine urine and plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2012;1266:111-117. ↗
- Esposito S, Deventer K, Geldof L, Van Eenoo P. Synthesis and characterization of the N-terminal acetylated 17-23 fragment of thymosin beta 4 identified in TB-500, a product suspected to possess doping potential. Drug Test Anal. 2012;4(9):733-738. ↗
- Goldstein AL, Kleinman HK. Thymosin beta4: actin-sequestering protein moonlights to repair injured tissues. Trends Mol Med. 2005;11(9):421-429. ↗
- Sosne G, Qiu P, Christopherson PL, Wheater MK. Thymosin β4 Promotes Dermal Healing. Vitam Horm. 2016;102:251-275. ↗
- Gao X, Liang H, Hou F, et al. Thymosin Beta-4 Induces Mouse Hair Growth. PLoS One. 2015;10(6):e0130040. ↗
- Thomas A, Walpurgis K, Tretzel L, et al. TB500/TB1000 and SGF1000: A scientific approach for a better understanding of doping-relevant peptide preparations. Drug Test Anal. 2023;15(4):440-449. ↗
- Mendias CL, Awan TM. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance. Sports Med. 2026. ↗
- Rahaman KA, Muresan AR, Hwang H, et al. Simultaneous quantification of TB-500 and its metabolites in in-vitro experiments and rats by UHPLC-Q-Exactive orbitrap MS/MS and their screening by wound healing activities in-vitro. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci. 2024;1235:124033. ↗
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. TB-500 and thymosin beta-4 fall under prohibited peptide, growth-factor and tissue-repair categories; classified as a prescription medicine in some jurisdictions. (Status summarized from the WADA-prohibited classification and the anti-doping detection literature.) ↗
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act; Interim Policy on Compounding Using Bulk Drug Substances Under Section 503A. (Definitions of Category 1 and Category 2; bulks-list and nomination framework; the role of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee.) Verified 2026-05-29. ↗
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding That May Present Significant Safety Risks. Entry: 'Thymosin beta-4, fragment (LKKTETQ), also known as TB-500' placed in Category 2, effective with the September 29, 2023 update; safety rationale includes potential immunogenicity for certain routes and a lack of important safety information. Verified 2026-05-29. ↗
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee. Public calendar listing 'TB-500 (free base)' / 'TB-500 acetate' (with BPC-157, KPV, and MOTs-C) as bulk drug substances being considered for inclusion on the 503A Bulks List — a scheduled discussion, not a decision. Verified 2026-05-29. ↗