What is Follistatin-344?
A myostatin- and activin-binding protein studied in gene-therapy trials for muscular dystrophy; black-market vials have been found mislabeled.
Follistatin-344 in the library · · Human Trials · What are peptides?
6 registered trials · 1 indexed papers · 15 human / 13 animal studies
From the PeptideWhiz library entry. "As described" sections summarize claims made in the sources; they are not PeptideWhiz endorsements.
What it is
Follistatin-344 is described as the precursor form of follistatin, a natural protein that binds and blocks myostatin and activin, which limit muscle growth. Follistatin-315 is a shorter circulating form also sold.
Mechanism (as described)
- Blocking myostatin and activin is described as allowing increased muscle growth in animals.
Evidence (as described)
- A phase 1/2a gene-therapy trial in Becker muscular dystrophy reported improved walking distance in some participants (Mendell et al., 2015).
- An anti-doping analysis of black-market "follistatin 344" found products that did not match the label (Reichel et al., 2019).
Status
Not approved; banned in sport (WADA).
Registered human trials (6)
| Trial | Phase | Status | Year | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CALM-AF-AI: Counteracting Age-related Loss of Muscle With AAV-Follistatin Combined With Angiogenesis-Inducing VEGF Plasmid Gene Therapy | Phase 1/Phase 2 | recruiting | 2026 | 12 |
| Safety and Efficacy of Klotho and Follistatin Gene Therapy | EARLY_Phase 1 | completed | 2025 | 14 |
| Possible Sarcopenia, Sarcopenia, and Functional Status in Patients With Primary Sjögren's Syndrome | active not recruiting | 2025 | 120 | |
| Evaluation of Serum Follistatin-Like Protein 1 Levels in Behcet's Disease and Its Association With Disease Activity | completed | 2024 | 80 | |
| Follistatin Levels in Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Obese Individuals | completed | 2022 | 62 | |
| Phase I: Safety and Efficacy of an Injectable Follistatin Plasmid Gene Therapy in Humans | Phase 1 | completed | 2022 | 43 |
Peer-reviewed studies (1)
| Paper | Authors | Journal | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A phase 1/2a follistatin gene therapy trial for becker muscular dystrophy | Mendell JR et al. | Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy | 2015 | Clinical Trial, Phase II |
More cited research
- Effects of liraglutide treatment for 18 days on metabolic parameters, regional body composition and the myostatin-activin-follistatin-IGF-1 axis: Results from a (None, human RCT)
- Effects of liraglutide treatment for 35-days on total and regional fat free, lean, and bone mass, and on the Myostatin-Activin-Follistatin-IGF-1 axes: a seconda (None, human RCT)
- Exercise-Induced Secretion of FGF21 and Follistatin Are Blocked by Pancreatic Clamp and Impaired in Type 2 Diabetes (None, human RCT)
- Lorcaserin induces abdominal fat loss with associated improvements of the circulating metabolome/lipidome and no changes in the myostatin-activin-follistatin-IG (None, human RCT)
- Roles of intracerebral activin, inhibin, and follistatin in the regulation of Kiss-1 gene expression: Studies using primary cultures of fetal rat neuronal cells (2020, animal)
- Role of activin, follistatin, and inhibin in the regulation of Kiss-1 gene expression in hypothalamic cell models† (2019, animal)
- Impact of Ovariectomy on the Anterior Pituitary Gland in Female Rats (2023, animal)
- Impact of One-Week Administration of Dihydrotestosterone in Rat Anterior Pituitary Gland (2022, animal)
Conditions researched
- Anti-aging & longevity
- Fat loss, obesity & body recomposition
- Muscle gain, sarcopenia & building muscle after 40
- Muscle disease (myopathy)
Related compounds
- Bimagrumab
- IGF-1 LR3
- Octreotide
- ACE-031
- ACTH (Corticotropin)
- Anamorelin (non-peptide)
- Angiotensin II
- BNP (Nesiritide)
- CJC-1295 (no DAC), Mod GRF 1-29
- Carnosine
FAQ
What is Follistatin-344?
A myostatin- and activin-binding protein studied in gene-therapy trials for muscular dystrophy; black-market vials have been found mislabeled.
How many registered human trials study Follistatin-344?
The PeptideWhiz trial index lists 6 registered trials for Follistatin-344, the most recent from 2026.
How much published research exists on Follistatin-344?
The PeptideWhiz paper index links 1 PubMed paper to Follistatin-344; by study type, 15 human and 13 animal studies.
Which conditions is Follistatin-344 researched for?
Anti-aging & longevity, Fat loss, obesity & body recomposition, Muscle gain, sarcopenia & building muscle after 40, Muscle disease (myopathy).
Research and education only. Not medical advice. No dosing guidance. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov registry and PubMed via the PeptideWhiz index (204,289 studies).