At a glance
Type
Senolytic D-retro-inverso peptide
Target
FOXO4–p53 interaction
Note
No standardised formula/MW/CAS
Studied for
SenolyticSenescent cellsLongevity
FOX-04 (FOXO4-DRI) is a senolytic peptide — one designed to selectively clear “senescent” (aged, dysfunctional) cells. It is a landmark compound in longevity research, built with a mirror-image (D-retro-inverso) design to resist breakdown.
How FOXO4-DRI works
In senescent cells, the protein FOXO4 accumulates and binds p53, holding it back from triggering the cell’s self-destruct programme. FOXO4-DRI competitively disrupts that FOXO4–p53 interaction, freeing active p53 to drive apoptosis selectively in senescent cells — clearing “zombie” cells while largely sparing healthy dividing ones. That selective clearance is what makes it a “senolytic.”
What the research shows
- Foundational senolytic study (Baar et al., Cell 2017). Designed FOXO4-DRI, showed it disrupts FOXO4–p53 and selectively kills senescent cells, reversing chemotoxicity and countering aging signs in mice.
- Human chondrocytes (Huang et al., 2021). FOXO4-DRI selectively cleared senescent cells from expanded human cartilage cells.
- Mechanism (Nature Communications, 2025). A structural study identified the p53 region that both FOXO4 and FOXO4-DRI bind.
Candour: the evidence is preclinical only — cell-culture and mouse models — with no human clinical trials establishing safety or efficacy. As a custom peptide construct it has no standardised molecular formula or CAS. Use belongs under a physician’s guidance.
Molecular specification
| Type | Senolytic D-retro-inverso peptide (FOXO4-based) |
| Mechanism target | FOXO4–p53 interaction |
| Note | No standardised molecular formula/MW/CAS (construct-dependent) |
Quality and sourcing
Every batch of Azzurri Wellness FOX-04 is compounded through a Registered 503B outsourcing facility under GMP-compliant processes, HPLC-tested for purity and potency, and third-party lab verified. Shipped cold-pack when needed to protect stability.
References
- Baar MP, et al. Targeted Apoptosis of Senescent Cells Restores Tissue Homeostasis in Response to Chemotoxicity and Aging. Cell. 2017;169(1):132–147. PubMed
- Huang Y, et al. Senolytic Peptide FOXO4-DRI Selectively Removes Senescent Cells From in vitro Expanded Human Chondrocytes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021;9:677576. PubMed
Compiled by the Azzurri Wellness Research Team and checked against the cited literature. Educational only — not medical advice.
