Davunetide (NAP)
A valuable case study in how a plausible neuroprotective mechanism can fail in a large human trial.
At a glance
- Evidence stage
- Early human
- Regulatory status
- Investigational; not an FDA-approved treatment for neurodegenerative disease.
- Research context
- Davunetide is an eight-amino-acid peptide studied for microtubule and tau-related mechanisms. A large phase 2/3 PSP trial was negative, making it an important evidence-literacy example.
What this is
- An investigational neuropeptide also called NAP
- A compound with a substantial negative clinical trial result
What this isn't
- A proven cognitive enhancer
- Evidence that a mechanistic rationale predicts clinical benefit
Key terms
Educational information only — not medical advice. This page does not diagnose a condition, recommend treatment, or replace care from a qualified clinician. The evidence stage and regulatory status below apply to the named molecule and indication, not to every product sold under a similar name.
Davunetide was developed around microtubule-stability and tau-related hypotheses. The compound reached a randomized phase 2/3 trial in progressive supranuclear palsy, where it did not improve the prespecified clinical outcomes compared with placebo.
Evidence limits
How to read the evidence
Educational information only — not medical advice. This page does not diagnose a condition, recommend treatment, or replace care from a qualified clinician. The evidence stage and regulatory status below apply to the named molecule and indication, not to every product sold under a similar name.
Use davunetide to teach readers how to read trial registration, primary endpoints, intention-to-treat analysis, adverse events, and negative results. “Failed trial” is not the same as “no science,” but it is a strong boundary against marketing certainty.
External sources and citations
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