---
title: "PEG-MGF vs ARA-290: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)"
url: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare/peg-mgf-vs-ara-290
description: "Compare PEG-MGF vs ARA-290 side by side. We earn a commission on some vendor links. Mechanism, half-life, dose range, side effects and prices."
lang: en
---

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# PEG-MGF vs ARA-290

Side-by-side comparison of PEG-MGF and ARA-290: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.

PEG-MGF from $39.00

ARA-290 from $32.00

## Price snapshot

### PEG-MGF

Current low

$39.00

current listings

7-day low

—

not enough history yet

30-day low

—

not enough history yet

30-day change

—

not enough history yet

### ARA-290

Current low

$32.00

current listings

7-day low

—

not enough history yet

30-day low

—

not enough history yet

30-day change

—

not enough history yet

## PEG-MGF

PEG-MGF (Pegylated Mechano Growth Factor) is a synthetic, PEGylated form of Mechano Growth Factor (MGF) — an alternatively spliced variant of IGF-1 produced locally in muscle and other tissues in response to mechanical…

**Lowest listed price:** $39.00 across 1 listing

Full PEG-MGF profile (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/peg-mgf)

## ARA-290

ARA-290, also known as Cibinetide or pHBSP (Helix B Surface Peptide), is an 11-amino-acid peptide — QEQLERALNSS — designed to mimic a specific region of the tissue-protective surface of erythropoietin (EPO) without…

**Lowest listed price:** $32.00 across 5 listings

Full ARA-290 profile (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/ara-290)

## Side-by-side comparison

| Attribute | PEG-MGF | ARA-290 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Category | Performance | Recovery |
| Research Stage | Preclinical | Phase 2 |
| Mechanism of Action | PEG-MGF is the PEGylated form of Mechano Growth Factor (MGF), a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C-terminal 24 amino acids of the unique E-domain of IGF-1Ec, an alternatively spliced variant of the IGF-1 gene expressed in skeletal muscle after mechanical… | ARA-290's mechanism of action is one of the more elegantly engineered examples of pharmaceutical design in the peptide space. Understanding it requires appreciation of the dual-receptor biology of erythropoietin and the specific receptor-selective engineering… |
| Half-Life | Native MGF: very short (minutes) due to rapid proteolysis. PEG-MGF: PEGylation is intended to extend this substantially (community estimates up to roughly 1 day), but there are no published human pharmacokinetic data to confirm a specific value. | ~2 minutes (plasma half-life; downstream tissue-protective effects persist hours to days) |
| Typical Dose Range | 200 mcg | 1 mg - 4 mg subcutaneous daily |
| Dosing Frequency | twice_weekly | Once daily |
| Administration | Subcutaneous, Intramuscular, Intravenous | — |
| Side Effects | — | ARA-290 has demonstrated a notably favorable safety profile across clinical trials — one of the cleaner safety records among research peptides. The engineering rationale of separating tissue-protective effects from hematopoietic effects appears to have largely… |
| Molecular Weight | Free MGF 24-aa peptide: approximately 2,867-2,868 Da (reported molecular formula ~C121H199N41O40). PEG-MGF is heavier: the conjugated polyethylene glycol adds a variable mass (commonly a few kDa) on top of the peptide, so total mass depends on the PEG used. | ~1257 Da |
| Common Vial Sizes | 2 | — |

## Price tracking

Tracking PEG-MGF prices since April 22, 2026. Trend chart unlocks once we have price snapshots from more than one day.

## Price History

3 data points

- Ion Peptide
- BHG Labs
- LB

### PEG-MGF: potential benefits

- Increases satellite-cell and myoblast proliferation, expanding the cell pool available for muscle repair (in vitro and animal studies)
- May accelerate muscle repair after exercise-induced damage or injury (preclinical)
- Pro-survival, anti-apoptotic signaling reported in muscle and other cell types (preclinical)
- Preclinical cytoprotection: MGF pretreatment improved cardiac function after experimental myocardial infarction (mechanism distinct from IGF-1R, NOT via fibroblast growth factor receptor)
- Preclinical neuroprotection during cerebral ischemia
- PEGylation is intended to extend native MGF's very short half-life to allow less frequent research dosing

### ARA-290: potential benefits

- Neuroprotective effects
- Anti-inflammatory activity
- Tissue repair without erythropoiesis
- Potential diabetic neuropathy treatment
- Sarcoidosis symptom reduction

## Frequently asked

### What's the difference between PEG-MGF and ARA-290?

PEG-MGF is a performance that peg-mgf is the pegylated form of mechano growth factor (mgf), a synthetic peptide corresponding to the c-terminal 24 amino acids of the unique e-domain of igf-1ec, an alternatively…. ARA-290 is a recovery that ara-290's mechanism of action is one of the more elegantly engineered examples of pharmaceutical design in the peptide space. understanding it requires appreciation of the…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Native MGF: very short (minutes) due to rapid proteolysis. PEG-MGF: PEGylation is intended to extend this substantially (community estimates up to roughly 1 day), but there are no published human pharmacokinetic data to confirm a specific value. vs ~2 minutes (plasma half-life; downstream tissue-protective effects persist hours to days)), and typical dose range.

### Which has the longer half-life, PEG-MGF or ARA-290?

PEG-MGF has a half-life of Native MGF: very short (minutes) due to rapid proteolysis. PEG-MGF: PEGylation is intended to extend this substantially (community estimates up to roughly 1 day), but there are no published human pharmacokinetic data to confirm a specific value.. ARA-290 has a half-life of ~2 minutes (plasma half-life; downstream tissue-protective effects persist hours to days). Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.

### Which is cheaper, PEG-MGF or ARA-290?

Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: PEG-MGF from $39.00, ARA-290 from $32.00. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.

### Can you stack PEG-MGF and ARA-290?

Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. PEG-MGF and ARA-290 should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.

## See current vendor prices

Listings from the vendors we track. Prices change often, so check the vendor before you buy.

PEG-MGF prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/peg-mgf?tab=prices

ARA-290 prices: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compound/ara-290?tab=prices

Compare all compounds: https://www.bodyhackguide.co/compare

### Before you buy PEG-MGF or ARA-290

Check the vendor trust score. Every supplier we track is rated 0-100 on COA verification, payment transparency, shipping, reviews, and listings: one published, reproducible methodology, applied to every vendor.

View Vendor Scorecard (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/vendors/scorecard)

## Related comparisons

**Research use only.** BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. Every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/editorial-standards) and affiliate disclosure (https://www.bodyhackguide.co/affiliate-disclosure).

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