Selank

What it is

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide derived from the immune peptide tuftsin, developed at a Russian research institute and studied as an anxiolytic / nootropic agent.S3

Marketed as

Selank is promoted for anxiety, stress, and focus. Outside its Russian approval these are marketing claims, not effects established to Western regulatory standards.S1S3

Regulatory status (US)

Selank is not FDA-approved.S1 It appears among the peptides in FDA's Category 2 compounding review (the "nominated but withdrawn" group) and is on the agenda for the July 2026 Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee.S1S2 In the US it is otherwise treated as a research peptide, not a medicine.S3

Around the world

Selank has regulatory approval in Russia as a prescription anxiolytic/nootropic, but is not approved in the US, Canada, or most of Europe, where it circulates as a research peptide.S3

Evidence

Reported mechanisms involve GABAergic, serotonergic, and related pathways, and Russian studies describe anxiolytic effects.S3 The evidence base is largely Russian with limited independent replication (see caveat), so its effects should not be presented as established to Western standards.S3

Anti-doping

Selank is an anxiolytic peptide rather than a GH secretagogue; it is not part of the GH-secretagogue class, and its specific anti-doping status should be checked against the current WADA List rather than assumed.S1

Safety

As an unapproved research peptide in the US, Selank has limited independent long-term safety data, and use falls outside FDA finished-drug oversight; FDA's general Category 2 concerns (characterization, purity, limited safety information) apply.S1S3

What's changing

The near-term item is the July 2026 PCAC review and any subsequent FDA decision on Selank's compounding status.S1S2