At a glance
- Corticotropin (ACTH) is an FDA-approved drug, marketed as Acthar, Purified, H.p. (first approval: April 29, 1952).
- PubMed lists 2,569 publications mentioning it, including 66 randomized controlled trials and 506 animal-only studies.
- ClinicalTrials.gov lists 130 registered studies testing it (8 active).
- FDA's adverse event system (FAERS) holds 20,483 reports mentioning it; 9,457 classified as serious. Reports do not prove causation.
Research topics
Most frequent MeSH subject headings in the latest PubMed records (English, as indexed).
Regulatory status
Drugs@FDA applications
| Application | Product | Status | First approval | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NDA007504 | ACTHAR | Approved, discontinued | July 3, 1950 | SANOFI AVENTIS US |
| NDA008317 | ACTH | Approved, discontinued | March 14, 1952 | PARKEDALE |
| NDA008372 | ACTHAR GEL, ACTHAR GEL (AUTOINJECTOR) | Approved, marketed | April 29, 1952 | MALLINCKRODT IRELAND |
| NDA008975 | PURIFIED CORTROPHIN GEL | Approved, marketed | June 16, 1954 | ANI PHARMS |
| NDA009854 | CORTROPHIN-ZINC | Approved, discontinued | July 29, 1955 | ANI PHARMS |
| NDA010831 | CORTICOTROPIN | Approved, discontinued | September 12, 1957 | ORGANICS LAGRANGE |
| NDA022432 | H.P. ACTHAR GEL | Approved, marketed | October 15, 2010 | QUESTCOR PHARMA |
| ANDA088772 | CORTICOTROPIN | Approved, discontinued | — | WATSON LABS |
Source: Drugs@FDA (openFDA) · verified October 30, 2026 · API query
FDA compounding safety list
Not on FDA's list of bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding.
Source: FDA.gov — Category 2 bulk drug substances · verified October 30, 2026
Removal of a substance from a regulatory list does not mean it has been approved. A "research use only" label does not make a product safe or legal for human use.
Scientific publications
Counts are PubMed records that mention the peptide in the title or abstract. Categories overlap, and a mention is not the same as testing the peptide as a treatment. Each number opens the exact PubMed search. Effects seen in laboratory or animal studies may not occur in humans. A registered clinical trial does not show that a substance is effective or safe.
Latest publications
- Long-Term Outcome of West Syndrome Treated With Adrenocorticotropic Hormone-Based Therapy in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh.
- Prevalence, risk factors, and the screening value of basal cortisol for adrenal insufficiency after corticosteroid therapy in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
- Validated LC-MS/MS Methods for Quantification of AC02 and Porcine ACTH1-39 in Human Plasma: Application to a Phase I Study.
- Lymphocyte signal transduction defects in cutaneous sarcoidosis and implications for treatment.
- Systematic review and network meta-analysis for the 2026 update of the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for the management with immunosuppressive therapies and biologic agents of membranous nephropathy.
- [A case of bilateral open-lip schizencephaly with West syndrome due to variant of PAFAH1B1 gene and literature review].
- RFX3 Pathogenic Variants as a Rare Cause of Infantile Epileptic Spasms Syndrome.
- Electrophysiological readout of ACTH-related neuroendocrine-immunomodulatory treatment response in infantile epileptic spasms syndrome: suppression of scalp ripple propagation networks.
- Updated ocular pharmacology for noninfectious uveitis: a comprehensive expert review.
- Efficacy of synthetic ACTH in confirmed and presumed monogenic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.
Source: PubMed (NCBI) · verified October 30, 2026
Clinical trials
- Registered
- 130
- Active
- 8
- With posted results
- 48
Conditions studied
Show 40 more studies
All 130 studies on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · verified October 30, 2026
Adverse event reports
- Reports
- 20,483
- Serious
- 9,457
- With death outcome
- 696
Most reported reactions
Adverse event reports do not prove that the substance caused these effects. Side effects not listed here may still occur. Reaction terms are MedDRA terms as reported to FAERS.
Source: FDA FAERS (FAERS data as of July 30, 2026) · verified October 30, 2026 · API query
FDA prescribing information
Official US prescribing information. Dosing sections are intentionally not shown.
- Medi-Chord
- Lipo-Chord
- Chemstat
- Chemstat
- Weight Loss Support Plus Adrenal
- Appetite and Weight with P.H.A.T.
- 911 Adrenal Burnout and Fatigue
- Grass and Weed Mix
- Adrenal Liquescence 3001
- Growth Hormone Drops 2160
- Smoke Mix 1023
- Vegetable Mix 1018
- Northwest Regional 1019
- Northeast Regional 1021
- Trees 2 1017
- Flowers 1008
- Southeast Regional 1024
- Trees 1 1016
- Biting Insect Mix 1002
- Nightshade Mix 1011
- Airborne 1025
- Pituitary Liquescence 3018
- Poison Ivy/Oak 1013
- Nut Mix 1012
- Southwest Regional 1020
- Pets 1001
- Caffeine Mix 1003
- Dairy Mix 1004
- Hepatatox
- FCS HP
- FCS CP
- Sugar Cravings
- Grass Mix
- Household Dust and Mold Mix
- Thinnr PROTOCOL
- Thinnr BOOST
- Household Dust and Mold Mix
- Pituitary Liquescence
- Adrenal Liquescence
- Allergena Pet Dander
- Recovatone
- Chemtox
- XS H2O Liquescence
- Recovatone
- Focus Spectrum HP
- Chemtox
- HP Axis
- Adrenal Liquescence
- Poison Ivy and Oak Formula
- Poison Ivy and Oak Formula
- Tree Mix
- Tree Mix
- Lipotox
- Household Dust and Mold Mix
- Anpituapar
- Animal Mix
- Bread Cravings
- Chip Cravings
- OHM Pituitarum Complex
- CENTROCODE
- GUNA-GERIATRICS
- Homeoplex D
- Neuro-Pro T007
Source: DailyMed / openFDA
Change history
No changes since monitoring began on October 30, 2026.