# TB-500 References: The Thymosin Beta-4 Studies, Cited in Full

> The full TB-500 and thymosin beta-4 reference list — every study cited on this site, with journals, years, DOIs, PMIDs, and ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers.

Primary sources only — peer-reviewed journals, a randomized Phase 1 trial, a withdrawn ClinicalTrials.gov registration, and the FDA pages behind the regulatory status.

## How to read this list

Every quantitative claim on this site maps to a numbered entry below. The literature splits into two molecules — the TB-500 fragment (Ac-LKKTETQ, ~889 Da) and its parent protein thymosin beta-4 (~4963 Da) — and the studies here predominantly used the full-length parent; the page on which each is cited states which molecule was tested. Regulatory entries [16]–[18] are FDA pages verified to load and contain the cited text. This is the [full reference list](/references).

## References

[1] 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15329672/
[2] Malinda KM, Sidhu GS, Mani H, et al. Thymosin beta4 accelerates wound healing. J Invest Dermatol. 1999;113(3):364-368. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10469335/
[3] Bock-Marquette I, Saxena A, White MD, et al. Thymosin beta4 activates integrin-linked kinase and promotes cardiac cell migration, survival and cardiac repair. Nature. 2004;432(7016):466-472. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15565145/
[4] Ruff D, Crockford D, Girardi G, Zhang Y. A randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dose study of intravenous thymosin beta4 in healthy volunteers. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:223-229. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20536472/
[5] Goldstein AL, Hannappel E, Sosne G, Kleinman HK. Thymosin beta4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide. Basic properties and clinical applications. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2012;12(1):37-51. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22074294/
[6] Tokura Y, Nakayama Y, Fukada S, et al. Muscle injury-induced thymosin beta4 acts as a chemoattractant for myoblasts. J Biochem. 2011;149(1):43-48. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20880960/
[7b] Xiong Y, Mahmood A, Meng Y, et al. Thymosin beta4 enhances the healing of medial collateral ligament injury in rats. Regul Pept. 2013;184:1-8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23523891/
[7] Morris DC, Chopp M, Zhang L, Zhang ZG. A dose-response study of thymosin beta4 for the treatment of acute stroke. J Neurol Sci. 2014;345(1-2):61-67. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25060418/
[8] Spurney CF, Cha HJ, Sali A, et al. Evaluation of skeletal and cardiac muscle function after chronic administration of thymosin beta-4 in the dystrophin deficient mouse. PLoS One. 2010;5(1):e8976. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20126456/
[9] Kleinman HK, Sosne G. Thymosin beta4 promotes dermal healing. Animal studies with thymosin beta, a multifunctional tissue repair and regeneration peptide (including porcine ischemia-reperfusion data). Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:118-122. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20536453/
[10] RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals (sponsor). A Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Injectable Thymosin Beta 4 for Treating Acute Stroke (withdrawn). ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01311518. 2011. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01311518
[11] Jo JO, Kang YJ, Ock MS, et al. Thymosin beta4 induces the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha-dependent manner. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2010;1803(11):1244-1251. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20691219/
[12] Kleinman HK, Sosne G, Goldstein AL. Thymosin beta4 and cancer: pro-migratory and pro-angiogenic properties implicated in tumor progression and metastasis (review of the oncologic safety signal). Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2012;12(Suppl 1). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22074294/
[13] Qiu P, Wheater MK, Qiu Y, Sosne G. Thymosin beta4 promotes matrix metalloproteinase expression during wound repair. J Cell Physiol. 2006;209(2):611-617. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16607611/
[14] Mendias CL, Awan TM. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance. Sports Med. 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41966639/
[15] Gonzalez-Franquesa A, Stocks B, Borg ML, et al. Discovery of thymosin beta4 as a human exerkine and growth factor. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2021;321(5):C770-C778. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34495765/
[16] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding That May Present Significant Safety Risks (list entry: 'Thymosin beta-4, fragment (LKKTETQ), also known as TB-500'; Category 2, effective September 29, 2023). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
[17] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (Category 1 and Category 2 definitions; 503A/503B framework; nomination and PCAC process). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/bulk-drug-substances-used-compounding-under-section-503a-fdc-act
[18] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (agenda lists 'TB-500 (free base)' / 'TB-500 acetate', BPC-157, KPV, and MOTs-C as substances being considered for inclusion on the 503A Bulks List; a scheduled discussion, not a decision). https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/july-23-24-2026-meeting-pharmacy-compounding-advisory-committee-07232026

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A clear-eyed digest of the TB-500 and thymosin beta-4 record, read by glow intensity — the established findings bright, the human-data gaps left dim and labeled, with no clinic behind the aurora and nothing here dispensed.