Research background · Updated November 1, 2026
TB-500 Research: Publications, Study Types and Background
Short answer
TB-500. As of November 1, 2026, PubMed indexes 627 records matching TB-500, the earliest from 1981; 83 were published in 2021–2025 and 69 are reviews. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 18 registered studies matching the compound.
- PubMed records
- 627
- Earliest record
- 1981
- Published 2021–2025
- 83
- Reviews
- 69
- Animal-only studies
- 216
- Registered studies
- 18
Publications per year, 2006–2025
199 records in 2016–2025 against 200 in 2006–2015; the busiest year was 2007, with 35.
See the numbers
| Year | PubMed records |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 35 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 11 |
| 2010 | 26 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 24 |
| 2013 | 22 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 25 |
| 2016 | 28 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 21 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 27 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 18 |
Study types
| All PubMed records | 627 |
|---|---|
| Reviews | 6911% |
| Animal studies (no human subjects indexed) | 21634% |
| Indexed as clinical trials | 41% |
| Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov | 18 |
Categories overlap and follow PubMed’s own indexing; recent records may not be indexed yet.
Primary research directions
What 4 of the most-cited and most recent TB-500 papers report, in their own authors’ terms. Each line links the paper it came from.
Actin binding and cell migration
This review of thymosin beta-4, the parent protein of TB-500, reports that it binds actin and promotes cell migration, including the mobilization, migration and differentiation of stem and progenitor cells, and describes effects on apoptosis, inflammation and scar formation in wounds.
ReviewGoldstein AL 2012Expert opinion on biological therapyPMID 22074294
Wound healing and matrix remodeling
This 2026 review of therapeutic peptides in orthopaedic injury groups TB-500 with BPC-157 and GHK-Cu as wound-healing peptides reported to promote angiogenesis, integrin-mediated extracellular matrix remodeling and fibroblast activation.
ReviewRahman OF 2026Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviewsPMID 41490200
Tissue repair in preclinical models
This narrative review reports that thymosin beta-4 and its derivative TB-500 promoted angiogenesis and tissue repair in preclinical models, notes that human orthopaedic data are lacking, and points out that both remain banned in sport.
ReviewMayfield CK 2026The American journal of sports medicinePMID 41476424
Inflammation and metabolic remodeling
In a dry eye disease model, co-treatment with mesenchymal stem cells and thymosin beta-4 gave a better therapeutic outcome than either alone, and metabolic imaging pointed to metabolic remodeling as a route to modulating the inflammation.
AnimalsChen X 2025Signal transduction and targeted therapyPMID 39837870
Most-studied topics
The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic, across 400 of the 627 records. They describe what the literature is about, not what TB-500 does.
- Thymosin317 papers
- Actins35 papers
- Wound Healing17 papers
- Microfilament Proteins17 papers
- Thymus Hormones11 papers
- Gene Expression Regulation10 papers
- Cell Differentiation9 papers
- Thymus Gland9 papers
Key papers
Earliest indexed record
Low TL (1981). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
PMID 6940133Most-cited paper · 483 citations
Pantaloni D (1993). Cell.
PMID 8252614Most-cited #2 · 439 citations
Bubb MR (2000). The Journal of biological chemistry.
PMID 10671562Most-cited #3 · 430 citations
Sapp E (2001). Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology.
PMID 11273004
Citation counts from NIH iCite, among the 400 records sampled. Titles are left out; open each record on PubMed to read it.
Identity
| CAS | 885340-08-9 |
|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C38H68N10O14 |
| Molecular weight | 889.0 g/mol |
| Synonyms | TB500, UNII-QHK6Z47GTG, TB-500, QHK6Z47GTG, Ac-Leu-Lys-Lys-Thr-Glu-Thr-Gln-OH |
Identity data from PubChem, retrieved November 1, 2026, on the TB-500 page.
How these numbers were counted
- PubMed search, run November 1, 2026:
"TB-500"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta 4"[tiab] OR "thymosin beta-4"[tiab]re-run it. Study types add PubMed’s own filters (review, clinical trial, animals not humans). - Topics: MeSH major-topic headings counted across up to 400 of the matching records; headings for study set-up (species, sex, age) are left out.
- Citations: NIH iCite citation counts for the same records.
- ClinicalTrials.gov search:
"TB-500" OR "thymosin beta 4"re-run it. Any phase, any status.
This page reports what has been published and what papers say they found, with each source linked. It gives no dosing or usage information, and nothing here is a reason to use TB-500 outside a laboratory.
Wholesale supply
TB-500, sourced to order for research.
Not held in the listed catalog. Tell us the vial size and the number of vials and we come back with availability, documentation and pricing in writing.
TB-500 research questions
How much research has been published on TB-500?
PubMed indexes 627 records matching TB-500 (searched November 1, 2026), including 69 reviews and 4 records indexed as clinical trials. 83 were published in the five years 2021–2025.
When was TB-500 first described in the literature?
The earliest PubMed record matching TB-500 is from 1981 (Low TL, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, PMID 6940133).
What topics does the TB-500 literature cover?
The subject headings PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic of TB-500 papers are Thymosin, Actins, Wound Healing, Microfilament Proteins. These describe what the literature is about. Findings from individual papers, with their sources, are summarized on this page.
Is TB-500 sold for human use?
No. Vanta Foundry supplies it for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement.
Where can I buy TB-500 wholesale for research?
We source TB-500 to order rather than stock it. Tell us the vial size and number of vials on WhatsApp or by email and the quote confirms availability, documentation and pricing.
Research materials supplied by Vanta Foundry are for laboratory research use only. They are not for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods, cosmetics or dietary supplements. Websites and payment processing are business services for research-supply brands.
All compounds: research peptide publication statistics.