Adamax

Overview

What Adamax is and where it comes from

Adamax is a synthetic analogue of Semax, the Russian heptapeptide Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro developed in the 1980s at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences as an ACTH(4-10) fragment without hormonal activity. The difference from Semax is a single but substantial one: an adamantane group is attached to the peptide chain. Adamantane is a rigid ten-carbon hydrocarbon “cage” you may know from the drugs amantadine and memantine.

Think of Semax as a message written on paper that dissolves quickly in the rain. Adamantane is a plastic sleeve around that message. The text stays the same, but the package survives longer and passes obstacles more easily. That is the design idea behind Adamax: keep the Semax sequence that engages neurotrophic signalling, and add a lipophilic element that medicinal chemistry has long used to improve stability and membrane penetration.

Unlike Semax, Adamax is not a registered medicine in any country and has no clinical programme of its own. It is a research molecule from the Semax family that appeared in the catalogues of research suppliers in recent years. Molequa® supplies it exclusively for laboratory research.

What we know about the structure, and what we do not

Let us be precise, because the market is not. Suppliers describe Adamax in two different ways: some as N-acetylated Semax with an adamantane group at the C-terminus, others as a nonapeptide with two additional amino acids. The molecular weights they quote therefore differ. Neither structure has a CAS number or a PubChem record that would settle the question.

Molequa® does the only defensible thing in this situation: the page states no sequence and no molecular weight until the batch certificate of analysis confirms them. Identity is determined by the LC-MS mass spectrum of the specific batch, and exactly that value will appear in the certificate section. What has not been measured is not presented here as fact.

Mechanism: what is inherited from Semax

There are no direct mechanistic studies of Adamax in the peer-reviewed literature. Everything said about its action is derived from Semax and from the known properties of adamantane. Semax has three well-documented layers in research:

Neurotrophic signalling (BDNF, NGF, trkB)

Semax increases the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF and its receptor trkB in the rat hippocampus within hours of administration (Dolotov 2006, PubMed 16996037). Earlier work by the same group showed BDNF stimulation in several brain areas in vivo (Dolotov 2003, PubMed 14556513), and a comparison of NGF and BDNF gene dynamics in hippocampus, frontal cortex and retina (Shadrina 2010, PubMed 19662538). BDNF is the protein that keeps synapses plastic and neurons alive, which is why it is the central hypothesis behind the nootropic and neuroprotective profile of the whole family.

Neuronal survival in ischaemia

In models of cerebral ischaemia Semax and its C-terminal fragment Pro-Gly-Pro activate the transcription of neurotrophins and their receptors (Dmitrieva 2010, PubMed 19633950). A genome-wide expression analysis after focal ischaemia showed effects on immune and vascular genes (Medvedeva 2014, PubMed 24661604). These data are the basis of the Russian registration of Semax in neurology.

Learning, memory and attention

In preclinical models Semax prevents the inhibition of learning and memory by heavy metals (Inozemtsev 2016, PubMed 27411820), and a functional connectivity study in humans compared it with Selank (Panikratova 2020, PubMed 32342318). A review proposed it as a candidate for attention-deficit research (Tsai 2007, PubMed 16996699).

What adamantane adds

In medicinal chemistry adamantane is the “lipophilic bullet”: a rigid, bulky, hydrophobic group that increases fat solubility, shields neighbouring bonds from enzymes and frequently improves passage through biological membranes (review by Wanka 2013, PubMed 23432396). For peptides, adamantane conjugation has been studied on enkephalin derivatives, for example (Kitagawa 1997, PubMed 9396154). Whether these properties also hold for Adamax has not been measured independently by anyone. The hypothesis is logical, the evidence is missing. That is exactly how we write it on this page.

Research areas

With Adamax these are research questions, not documented effects:

• Comparison with the parent molecule: do stability, half-life and penetration of Adamax differ from Semax? This is the first and most important question, and nobody has published it yet.
• Neurotrophic signalling: does the adamantane analogue retain the effect on BDNF and trkB documented for Semax?
• Ischaemia and excitotoxicity models: does Adamax behave like Semax in cell and animal models?
• Behavioural models of learning and attention: by analogy with the preclinical Semax work.
• Analytical chemistry: unambiguous determination of a structure the market describes in two ways.

Buying Adamax: what to look for

For a molecule with no structure assigned in the databases, verifiable quality matters even more than it does with Semax. White powder always looks the same. These five criteria separate a serious supplier from the grey zone.

1. HPLC purity ≥ 99 % backed by a chromatogram

Purity tells you what share of the powder is the main component. A number without a chromatogram is a claim, not evidence.

2. Certificate of analysis for the specific batch

A document with batch number, date and measured value, issued by an independent laboratory. If a supplier shows only a generic template or a certificate “on request”, do not buy.

3. LC-MS identity, doubly important with Adamax

Because descriptions of the structure differ, only the mass spectrum tells you which molecule you received. A certificate without LC-MS is not enough for Adamax.

4. EU origin and shipping with batch traceability

EU stock means shorter transport, no customs risk and a batch you can trace back. Molequa® ships from the EU, usually within 1 to 3 working days of stocking.

5. The right form: lyophilizate

Quality Adamax is supplied as lyophilized powder, not as a ready-made solution. It is reconstituted with bacteriostatic water just before use.

Verify quality in 30 seconds

• ✅ CoA for the batch publicly available?
• ✅ HPLC purity ≥ 99 % backed by a chromatogram?
• ✅ Identity confirmed by LC-MS with the mass stated?
• ✅ EU stock and batch traceability?
• ✅ Supplied as lyophilizate with clear storage guidance?

Every Molequa® batch receives a certificate of analysis from an independent laboratory before sale. For Adamax the certificate will be published in the Batch test results section the moment the first batch is stocked. Until then the product is available as a reservation without payment.

Legal notice: Adamax is a research peptide and not an approved medicine in any country. It is sold exclusively for scientific laboratory research and is not intended for human or animal consumption.

Science & Studies

4.1 Key publications

A warning up front: none of these papers studied Adamax. They are the literature on the parent molecule Semax and on adamantane as a chemical group. Together they are the entire available scientific basis for this molecule.

Dolotov O.V., Karpenko E.A., Inozemtseva L.S., et al. (2006). Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus. Brain Res. PubMed 16996037, the neurotrophic mechanism of Semax.

Dolotov O.V., Seredenina T.S., Levitskaya N.G., et al. (2003). The heptapeptide SEMAX stimulates BDNF expression in different areas of the rat brain in vivo. Dokl Biol Sci. PubMed 14556513, the first in vivo BDNF paper.

Shadrina M., Kolomin T., Agapova T., et al. (2010). Comparison of the temporary dynamics of NGF and BDNF gene expression in rat hippocampus, frontal cortex, and retina under Semax action. J Mol Neurosci. PubMed 19662538, time course of neurotrophins.

Dmitrieva V.G., Povarova O.V., Skvortsova V.I., et al. (2010). Semax and Pro-Gly-Pro activate the transcription of neurotrophins and their receptor genes after cerebral ischemia. Cell Mol Neurobiol. PubMed 19633950, ischaemia model.

Medvedeva E.V., Dmitrieva V.G., Limborska S.A., et al. (2014). The peptide Semax affects the expression of genes related to the immune and vascular systems in rat brain focal ischemia: genome-wide transcriptional analysis. BMC Genomics. PubMed 24661604, genome-wide profile.

Wanka L., Iqbal K., Schreiner P.R. (2013). The lipophilic bullet hits the targets: medicinal chemistry of adamantane derivatives. Chem Rev. PubMed 23432396, what adamantane does to molecules.

Kitagawa K., Mizobuchi N., Hama T., et al. (1997). Synthesis and antinociceptive activity of [D-Ala2]Leu-enkephalin derivatives conjugated with the adamantane moiety. Chem Pharm Bull. PubMed 9396154, adamantane attached to a peptide.

4.2 Detailed expandable studies

▸ Study 1: Dolotov 2006, Semax and BDNF/trkB in the hippocampus

Citation: Dolotov O.V., et al. Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus. Brain Res. 2006. PubMed 16996037.

What they did: Rats received Semax and the levels of BDNF and its receptor trkB were measured at intervals in the hippocampus, the region central to memory and learning.

What they found: Semax raised the expression of both BDNF and trkB within hours of administration. The change was rapid and involved the receptor as well as the factor itself, suggesting reinforcement of the whole signalling pathway.

Why it matters for Adamax: This is the main hypothesis of action for the whole family. If Adamax retains the Semax sequence, the research question is whether it also retains this effect and whether adamantane prolongs or strengthens it. Nobody has published the answer yet.

▸ Study 2: Dmitrieva 2010, neurotrophins after ischaemia

Citation: Dmitrieva V.G., et al. Semax and Pro-Gly-Pro activate the transcription of neurotrophins and their receptor genes after cerebral ischemia. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2010. PubMed 19633950.

What they did: A model of focal cerebral ischaemia in rats. Full-length Semax was compared with its C-terminal fragment Pro-Gly-Pro, and transcription of neurotrophin and receptor genes was followed in the damaged tissue.

What they found: Both substances activated transcription of neurotrophins and receptors, Semax more broadly than the fragment alone. The effect appeared in the acute phase after ischaemia.

Why it matters for Adamax: It shows that the activity of Semax is not tied to the N-terminus alone. That is important for an analogue whose chemical modifications sit precisely at the termini. Whether the adamantane modification interferes with this activity is an open question.

▸ Study 3: Medvedeva 2014, genome-wide analysis

Citation: Medvedeva E.V., et al. The peptide Semax affects the expression of genes related to the immune and vascular systems in rat brain focal ischemia: genome-wide transcriptional analysis. BMC Genomics. 2014;15:228. PubMed 24661604.

What they did: Genome-wide expression analysis in rat brain after focal ischaemia, with and without Semax.

What they found: Semax affected hundreds of genes, mainly those linked to the immune response and the vascular system. The effect was multidimensional, not tied to a single pathway.

Why it matters for Adamax: It gives researchers a reference profile against which the analogue can be compared. If anyone decides to characterise Adamax, this is a meaningful standard.

▸ Study 4: Wanka 2013, adamantane in medicinal chemistry

Citation: Wanka L., Iqbal K., Schreiner P.R. The lipophilic bullet hits the targets: medicinal chemistry of adamantane derivatives. Chem Rev. 2013. PubMed 23432396.

What they did: An extensive review of decades of work with adamantane derivatives in drugs, from amantadine to memantine and saxagliptin.

What they found: The adamantane group repeatedly serves as a tool to increase lipophilicity, metabolic stability and binding into hydrophobic pockets of target proteins. At the same time it changes pharmacokinetics in ways that are often unpredictable, so each derivative must be measured on its own.

Why it matters for Adamax: It explains the design logic behind the molecule and at the same time warns: the fact that adamantane helped elsewhere is not proof that it helps here.

▸ Study 5: Kitagawa 1997, adamantane on a peptide

Citation: Kitagawa K., et al. Synthesis and antinociceptive activity of [D-Ala2]Leu-enkephalin derivatives conjugated with the adamantane moiety. Chem Pharm Bull. 1997. PubMed 9396154.

What they did: An adamantane group was attached to the opioid peptide enkephalin and the activity of the derivatives was followed after administration.

What they found: Conjugation changed the activity of the derivatives depending on the site of attachment. The paper is one of the few direct examples of adamantane modification of a peptide in the literature.

Why it matters for Adamax: It is the closest published precedent for an adamantane-modified neuropeptide. It also shows that the site of attachment is decisive, and the site of attachment is precisely what suppliers describe differently for Adamax.

Storage

The figures are based on the storage of Semax and on the properties of lyophilized peptides. Once the first batch is stocked we will confirm them against the certificate.

Lyophilizate (dry powder before reconstitution)

• 2 years at −20 °C (freezer)
• 18 months at 2 to 8 °C (refrigerator)
• Up to 30 days at room temperature below 25 °C, protected from light and moisture

After reconstitution (solution in bacteriostatic water)

• Up to 21 days at 2 to 8 °C, protected from light
• The methionine in the Semax sequence is sensitive to oxidation, so keep the solution in the dark and do not leave it open

Practical rules

• Let the vial warm to room temperature (15 to 20 minutes) before opening, otherwise moisture condenses on the powder.
• Do not shake, roll the vial gently between your fingers.
• The solution should be clear and colourless. A yellowish tint means oxidation, do not use such a solution.
• The adamantane group is lipophilic, so the powder may float on the surface for a moment during dissolution. Give it a minute, do not force it.

Combination tips, Frequently combined peptides

Adamax is combined in research the same way as Semax, because it shares its sequence and presumed mechanism.

Semax, the direct comparison

The most meaningful “partner” of Adamax is its own parent molecule. A parallel experiment with Semax and Adamax under identical conditions is the only way to find out what adamantane actually changes. Anyone who wants to study Adamax honestly needs Semax as the control.

Selank, the anxiolytic complement

Selank is the sister molecule of Semax from the same institute with a complementary profile: Semax and its analogues target neurotrophic signalling, Selank targets GABAergic modulation and stress. In the Russian literature the Semax + Selank pair is described as the classic nootropic combination, and Adamax enters it in the place of Semax.

DSIP, the sleep axis

DSIP acts on sleep regulation and the HPA axis. Combined with Semax analogues it covers research on cognition and on recovery during sleep.

MOTS-c, mitochondrial support

Neurons have extreme energy demands. MOTS-c targets mitochondrial metabolism, Adamax targets neurotrophic signalling. A hypothetical synergy for neurodegeneration research.

BPC-157, the vascular complement

In ischaemic models Semax protects neurons and BPC-157 supports angiogenesis. The same logic applies to Adamax.

Key scientific figures and citations

“Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus.”
Dolotov OV. et al. (2006), Brain Res, PubMed 16996037

Figures from the research literature

• Adamax is an analogue of Semax (Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro, 813.9 Da) carrying an adamantane group (C10H15, a rigid hydrocarbon cage)
• The exact structure of Adamax has no CAS number and no PubChem record, and suppliers describe it in two ways; sequence and mass will be stated only from the LC-MS batch certificate
• Direct peer-reviewed studies on Adamax: 0 as of November 2026; the entire scientific basis is the literature on Semax and adamantane
• Semax increases BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus within hours of administration (Dolotov 2006, PubMed 16996037)
• Semax and the fragment Pro-Gly-Pro activate neurotrophin transcription after cerebral ischaemia (Dmitrieva 2010, PubMed 19633950)
• The adamantane group in drugs increases lipophilicity and metabolic stability, known from amantadine and memantine (Wanka 2013, PubMed 23432396)
• Semax is a registered medicine in the Russian Federation, Adamax is registered nowhere; in the EU and the USA it is exclusively a research substance

Reference sources (PubMed)

1. Dolotov OV. et al. (2006). “Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus.” Brain Res. PubMed 16996037
2. Dolotov OV. et al. (2003). “The heptapeptide SEMAX stimulates BDNF expression in different areas of the rat brain in vivo.” Dokl Biol Sci. PubMed 14556513
3. Dmitrieva VG. et al. (2010). “Semax and Pro-Gly-Pro activate the transcription of neurotrophins and their receptor genes after cerebral ischemia.” Cell Mol Neurobiol. PubMed 19633950
4. Medvedeva EV. et al. (2014). “The peptide Semax affects the expression of genes related to the immune and vascular systems in rat brain focal ischemia.” BMC Genomics 15:228. PubMed 24661604
5. Wanka L., Iqbal K., Schreiner PR. (2013). “The lipophilic bullet hits the targets: medicinal chemistry of adamantane derivatives.” Chem Rev. PubMed 23432396
6. Kitagawa K. et al. (1997). “Synthesis and antinociceptive activity of [D-Ala2]Leu-enkephalin derivatives conjugated with the adamantane moiety.” Chem Pharm Bull. PubMed 9396154

Registration status: Adamax is not approved or registered as a medicine in any jurisdiction (EMA, FDA or Roszdravnadzor). The Molequa® product is sold exclusively for laboratory scientific research (RUO).

Frequently asked questions about Adamax

These questions answer the most common searches about Adamax in a research context. For technical documentation see the sections above.

What is Adamax and how is it related to Semax?

Adamax is a synthetic analogue of Semax, the Russian heptapeptide derived from the ACTH(4-10) fragment. It keeps the Semax sequence and adds an adamantane group, a lipophilic hydrocarbon “cage” known from the drugs amantadine and memantine. The aim of the modification is higher stability and better membrane penetration, which nobody has yet measured independently for Adamax.

Are there studies directly on Adamax?

No. As of November 2026 there is no peer-reviewed study on Adamax in PubMed. All scientific data on this page concern Semax (BDNF, trkB, ischaemia models) and adamantane as a chemical group. Molequa® says so openly and does not pass off the Semax literature as evidence about Adamax.

What are the sequence and molecular weight of Adamax?

Suppliers describe Adamax in two ways: as N-acetylated Semax with adamantane at the C-terminus, or as a nonapeptide with two additional amino acids. The structure has no CAS number. Molequa® will state the sequence and mass only from the LC-MS certificate of the specific batch, not from a supplier catalogue.

Is Adamax an approved medicine or a research substance?

Adamax is not registered as a medicine in any country, not even in Russia, where Semax is registered. In the EU, the USA and everywhere else it is exclusively a research substance. The product is sold only for laboratory scientific research (RUO) and is not intended for human or animal consumption.

How is Adamax stored?

Store the lyophilizate at −20 °C (stable for 2 years) or at 2 to 8 °C (18 months), protected from light and moisture. After reconstitution with bacteriostatic water keep the solution for up to 21 days at 2 to 8 °C. The methionine in the sequence is sensitive to oxidation, a yellowish tint means degradation.

What is the difference between Adamax, Semax and Selank?

Semax is a registered Russian nootropic with dozens of publications on BDNF and neuroprotection. Adamax is its adamantane analogue without studies of its own. Selank is the sister molecule with an anxiolytic profile via GABAergic modulation. In research Adamax is compared with Semax as the control and combined with Selank in the same way as Semax.

Where to buy Adamax in the EU for scientific research?

Molequa® offers Adamax for scientific research in the EU as a 10 mg lyophilizate with a batch certificate of analysis from an independent laboratory, HPLC purity ≥ 99 %. Until the first batch is stocked the product is available as a reservation without payment. Delivery by Packeta or courier (Slovakia 1 to 2, Czechia 2 to 3, other EU countries 3 to 5 working days). Research use only (RUO).