Adamax
An enhanced Semax derivative with an adamantane modification borrowed from P21, studied in limited Russian research for BDNF upregulation and cognitive enhancement.
A second-generation nootropic peptide built by fusing Semax's ACTH(4-10) backbone to the adamantyl motif of P21, intended to combine Semax's neurotrophic mechanism with markedly improved CNS bioavailability.
Mechanism of action
Inherits Semax's primary mechanism — upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its TrkB receptor in the hippocampus and cortex, with modulation of dopaminergic and serotonergic signaling. The adamantyl-glycine C-terminal modification (derived from the P21 peptide) dramatically increases lipophilicity and blood-brain barrier penetration, and is reported to enhance peptide stability against enzymatic degradation. The net effect is proposed to be a more potent and longer-lasting version of the Semax effect profile.
Primary uses
- Experimental cognitive enhancement (biohacker protocols)
- Research into enhanced Semax analogs with improved pharmacokinetics
- Off-label post-stroke recovery (extrapolated from Semax's approved Russian indication)
Typical dosing
Community dosing extrapolated from Semax protocols. No human clinical data to establish a dose. Typical research reports plateau of effect above 10 mg per dose with increased peripheral side effects.
Educational information, not medical advice. The doses on this page come from approved labels, published studies and, where no study exists, amounts reported by users. None is a recommendation for you. An unapproved compound has no established safe or effective human dose, and products sold for “research use only” are not made or tested for people. Talk to a doctor before acting on anything on this site, including before you start, stop or change any medicine or dose. Full medical disclaimer.
Regulatory status
Not approved by any regulatory agency. A research-grade compound derived from the Russian nootropic peptide program at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Available only through research-chemical channels; no clinical trial registrations as of 2026.
Status as of this entry's last review, April 20, 2026. Approvals, compounding rules and sport rules change; the regulatory tracker is checked more often.
What we checked
Adamax is described as a Semax analogue with an adamantane-bearing C-terminal residue. We found no peer-reviewed paper indexed on PubMed that names it in a title or abstract, so this section records what can be checked.
Identity, computed
| Sequence | Not established |
The dataset gives Ac-Met-Glu-His-Phe-Pro-Gly-Pro followed by an adamantylglycine amide, a non-standard residue the site's calculator does not model, so no formula or mass is printed here.
Regulatory status, read October 5, 2026
Drugs@FDA: 0 records for “Adamax”. EMA medicines list: 0 records for “Adamax”. Run for semaglutide, the same queries return 6 and 5 records (and the registry search 84 trials), so a zero here is an absence, not a broken search. Not named on the WADA 2026 and 2027 Prohibited Lists. As a substance with no current approval for human therapeutic use, it falls under section S0 (non-approved substances), which is prohibited at all times; the lists were read on September 27, 2026.
What the maker or sellers claim
Claim, from research-chemical sellers: Adamax is a stronger, longer-lasting Semax that raises BDNF and sharpens cognition in people. No study of Adamax in people, or in animals under that name, was found.
About Semax, its parent peptide
Semax is an ACTH(4-10) analogue approved in Russia as nasal drops; in rats a single dose raised hippocampal BDNF. Our Semax entry covers that literature. Nothing in it is evidence about Adamax, a different molecule.
What we looked for and did not find
No human study, no animal study under this name, no registry record and no dose from a controlled study.
| Source | Query | Results, October 5, 2026 | What it was |
|---|---|---|---|
| PubMed | Adamax peptide | 1 | name search; hits for the name refer to other subjects |
| PubMed | Semax adamantyl | 0 | the modification described |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Adamax | 0 | |
| Drugs@FDA (openFDA) | Adamax | 0 | |
| EMA medicines list | Adamax | 0 |
References
- [review] Dolotov OV, Karpenko EA, Inozemtseva LS, et al. "Semax, an analog of ACTH(4-10) with cognitive effects, regulates BDNF and trkB expression in the rat hippocampus." Brain Res, 2006;1117(1):54-60. PMID: 16996037.
- [review] Myasoedov NF, et al. "Structure-activity relationships of regulatory heptapeptides: Semax and its derivatives." Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2018.
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Guides & tools
This entry is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Dosing information reflects published regulatory or research data and is not a recommendation. Many compounds described here are not approved for human use in the United States. Consult a licensed medical professional before considering any peptide therapy.