SS-31 (Elamipretide): The Mitochondria-Targeted Cardiolipin Peptide

SS-31 (also known as elamipretide) is a mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide that selectively concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane and binds cardiolipin. It is one of the most-studied compounds for mitochondrial dysfunction.

Everything below is provided for research context only. This is a laboratory research compound — not a medicine, and nothing here is medical or dosing advice.

What Is SS-31?

SS-31 is a Szeto-Schiller (SS) peptide — a synthetic tetrapeptide with a characteristic alternating cationic/aromatic motif that lets it accumulate in mitochondria. In clinical development it is called elamipretide, and in 2025 it became the first mitochondria-targeted peptide to receive FDA approval, for the rare disease Barth syndrome.

Specifications

• Class: mitochondria-targeted (Szeto-Schiller) tetrapeptide
• Elamipretide CAS 736992-21-5
• Format: lyophilized powder, reconstituted with bacteriostatic water for research
• Research focus: cardiolipin binding, cristae stability, mitochondrial energetics

How SS-31 Works in Research

• Cardiolipin binding: concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane and binds cardiolipin, the phospholipid that anchors electron-transport-chain supercomplexes and the cristae folds where ATP is made.
• Membrane stabilization: by stabilizing that membrane it is thought to preserve electron coupling and reduce reactive oxygen species at the source, rather than scavenging them afterward.
• Function: studied for restoring mitochondrial energetics in models of mitochondrial and age-related dysfunction.

Where SS-31 Sits in Research

SS-31 is studied across cardiac, renal, neurological, and aging models of mitochondrial dysfunction, and alongside mitochondrial-signaling peptides such as MOTS-c.

Handling in the Lab

• Ships as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder; reconstitute with bacteriostatic water using aseptic technique.
• Store the sealed powder cold and dark (long-term at -4°F); once reconstituted keep refrigerated at 36–46°F and use within a short window.
• Minimize freeze-thaw cycles and vial punctures.
• Judge quality by the lot-matched Certificate of Analysis (HPLC purity, mass-spec identity), not the label.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SS-31?

SS-31 (elamipretide) is a mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide that binds cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane, studied for mitochondrial function. It is supplied for laboratory research use only.

How does SS-31 work?

It concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane and binds cardiolipin, stabilizing the cristae that house the electron transport chain — thought to preserve energy coupling and reduce reactive oxygen species at the source. These are research findings, not medical claims.

Is SS-31 the same as elamipretide?

Yes — SS-31 is the research designation; elamipretide is the same molecule's clinical name (also formerly MTP-131/Bendavia).

What is cardiolipin and why does it matter?

Cardiolipin is a phospholipid concentrated in the inner mitochondrial membrane that anchors the electron-transport-chain supercomplexes. SS-31's binding to cardiolipin is central to its proposed mechanism.

Is SS-31 approved for human use?

The research compound sold here is for laboratory use only. Although elamipretide received FDA approval for a specific rare disease in 2025, this product is not a medicine and nothing here is medical advice.