Davunetide

Also known as: NAP, AL-108, NAPVSIPQ

An eight-amino-acid fragment of the ADNP protein studied for neurodegeneration and ADNP syndrome. Investigational; not approved anywhere.

Last updated October 26, 2026

Mechanism of Action

Davunetide (NAP, sequence NAPVSIPQ) is the active fragment of activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP), a protein essential for brain development. Through its SxIP motif it binds microtubule end-binding proteins (EB1/EB3), and it is proposed to stabilize microtubules, protect tau-microtubule interactions and support axonal transport. Much of the mechanistic evidence comes from cell and animal models, including ADNP-deficient mice.

Half-life: Not well established
Administration Routes: Intranasal
Research Status: Clinical

Reported Benefits

Studied for cognitive effects in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (phase 2)
Studied in schizophrenia-associated cognitive impairment (phase 2)
Tested in progressive supranuclear palsy (phase 2/3), with no benefit on primary endpoints
Now being developed for ADNP syndrome, a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder

Potential Side Effects

Generally well tolerated in trials
Headache
Nasal discomfort and other local intranasal effects
Long-term safety not established

Common Dosing

No approved dose. Adult trials used twice-daily intranasal sprays (for example, 30 mg twice daily in the progressive supranuclear palsy trial). Any use is limited to clinical trials under investigator supervision.

The dosing information above is aggregated from research literature and anecdotal community reports for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation, prescription, or medical advice. Peptides are sold as research chemicals only and are not intended for human use.

Contraindications

Investigational: not established

No documented stacking partners for Davunetide yet.

Davunetide in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2/3 trial
2014
View
Effect of the neuroprotective peptide davunetide (AL-108) on cognition and functional capacity in schizophrenia
2012
View
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, ascending-dose, randomized study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and effects on cognition of AL-108 after 12 weeks of intranasal administration in subjects with mild cognitive impairment
2013
View

No. As of 2026 davunetide is not approved anywhere. Its phase 2/3 trial in progressive supranuclear palsy, run by Allon Therapeutics, missed its endpoints in 2012; the FDA has since granted orphan drug and rare pediatric disease designations for ADNP syndrome, and developer ExoNavis reports a pediatric trial in that condition, which we could not independently confirm in trial registries.

ADNP syndrome (Helsmoortel-Van der Aa syndrome) is a rare genetic condition caused by mutations in the ADNP gene that causes intellectual disability, autism features and other developmental problems. Davunetide is a fragment of the ADNP protein, which is the rationale for testing it there.