What Is Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1)?
Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1), also called thymalfasin, is a 28-amino-acid peptide identical to a naturally occurring thymic peptide, studied for immune-modulating activity. Its regulatory status differs by country — see the note below.
The short answer
Thymosin Alpha-1 is a fragment of the larger prothymosin-α protein, produced in the thymus and involved in immune regulation. As a synthetic peptide (thymalfasin) it is one of the more clinically studied peptides in this catalog and is an approved medicine in a number of countries, though not the United States.
Composition and specifications
| Compound | Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1) |
|---|---|
| Class | Immune-modulating peptide (28 aa) |
| Also known as | Thymalfasin · CAS 62304-98-7 |
| Sequence / length | 28 amino acids (N-terminally acetylated) |
| CAS number | 62304-98-7 |
| Molecular weight | 3108.3 g/mol |
| Purity (typical) | ≥98.0% |
| Appearance | White lyophilized powder; water-soluble |
Values above reflect the compound's published specification. As with any research material, the definitive confirmation of identity and purity for a given lot is the mass-spectrometry and HPLC data on its Certificate of Analysis.
How it is described mechanistically
Thymosin Alpha-1 is characterized in research as an immunomodulator that influences T-cell maturation and function and toll-like-receptor-associated signaling. These descriptions come from a substantial immunology literature, including clinical studies conducted in countries where the drug product is approved.
What has research examined?
Thymosin Alpha-1 has one of the deeper evidence bases in this catalog. Areas examined include:
- T-cell maturation and immune-modulation signaling
- Toll-like-receptor-associated pathways
- Antiviral- and vaccine-adjuvant research (in approved-drug settings abroad)
- Comparisons within the thymosin peptide family
Approval abroad does not make US research-grade material a medicine; the research-grade compound is supplied for laboratory use only.
How is it characterized and tested?
Two questions matter most about any peptide sample in a research context: is it the right molecule, and how pure is it. Those are answered by analytical testing — commonly mass spectrometry for identity and HPLC for purity — with both reported on a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA). An independent, published COA lets a researcher confirm identity and purity before beginning work. See peptide handling and storage for how samples are kept stable once received.
Primary literature: browse peer-reviewed studies on Thymosin Alpha-1 at PubMed.
Common questions
Is Thymosin Alpha-1 FDA-approved?
A thymalfasin drug product is approved in a number of countries but is not FDA-approved in the United States. The research-grade material offered here is supplied for laboratory research use only.
How is Thymosin Alpha-1 different from Thymosin Beta-4?
They are different peptides in the thymosin family. Alpha-1 (28 aa) is studied mainly for immune modulation; Beta-4 (43 aa) is studied mainly as an actin-sequestering, tissue-repair-associated peptide.
What is Thymosin Alpha-1 studied for?
Primarily immune-modulation and T-cell signaling, with a clinical literature from countries where the drug product is approved.