PinnyPeptide

ACE-031 vs Follistatin

Side-by-side comparison: effects, dosing ranges, side effects, regulatory status, and reconstitution.

Peptide A

ACE-031

Muscle Growth

Soluble myostatin / activin trap — recombinant decoy of the activin IIB receptor.

Peptide B

Follistatin

Muscle Growth

Endogenous activin/myostatin binding protein — the gene-therapy myostatin inhibitor.

Typical vial

1 mg

Typical dose

Per kg dosing mcg

Half-life

~10-15 days (Fc-fusion)

FDA status

Not FDA approved. Clinical development halted in 2011 after …

Typical vial

1 mg

Typical dose

100-300 mcg

Half-life

~30 minutes (recombinant); years (AAV expression)

FDA status

Not FDA approved as recombinant protein. AAV-Follistatin gen…

ACE-031 effects

  • Inhibits myostatin and related TGF-β superfamily ligands
  • Rapid increases in lean muscle mass in clinical trials
  • Increased thigh muscle volume by MRI
  • Increased serum markers of muscle growth
  • Reduced fat mass in some trial subjects

Follistatin effects

  • Binds and neutralizes myostatin, activin A, and GDF-11
  • Promotes skeletal muscle hypertrophy
  • Increases muscle fiber size and strength
  • May enhance recovery from muscle injury
  • Sustained effect when delivered via AAV gene therapy

ACE-031 side effects

  • Capillary leak (gum bleeds, nosebleeds, telangiectasias) — clinical trial finding
  • Injection-site reactions
  • Headache
  • Potential off-target effects on vasculature and bone
  • Limited long-term safety data

Follistatin side effects

  • Limited human safety data for recombinant protein
  • Theoretical disruption of HPG axis (activin binding)
  • Injection-site reactions
  • Potential off-target effects on tissues using activin signaling

ACE-031 dosing ranges

Research / muscle volume increase

0.5-3 mg/kg · IV or SubQ every 2-4 weeks · Per protocol

Follistatin dosing ranges

Research / muscle hypertrophy (recombinant)

100-300 mcg · Daily (SubQ) · 10-30 days per cycle

AAV gene therapy (clinical)

Single high-titer AAV infusion · One-time · Durable expression (years)

Full ACE-031 guide → Full Follistatin guide →

ACE-031 vs Follistatin — common questions

What is the difference between ACE-031 and Follistatin?

ACE-031: Soluble myostatin / activin trap — recombinant decoy of the activin IIB receptor. Typical dose Per kg dosing mcg. Follistatin: Endogenous activin/myostatin binding protein — the gene-therapy myostatin inhibitor. Typical dose 100-300 mcg. Both fall under the Muscle Growth category.

Can you stack ACE-031 and Follistatin?

Stacking ACE-031 with Follistatin is a protocol-design question best raised with a clinician — it depends on your goal, current bloodwork, and whether both peptides target overlapping mechanisms. Both peptides should be tracked independently with separate injection sites and timing. PinnyPeptide supports multi-peptide stacks with automatic injection site rotation.

Which is dosed more frequently, ACE-031 or Follistatin?

ACE-031 is typically dosed: IV or SubQ every 2-4 weeks for Research / muscle volume increase. Follistatin is typically dosed: Daily (SubQ) for Research / muscle hypertrophy (recombinant); One-time for AAV gene therapy (clinical).

Are ACE-031 and Follistatin FDA approved?

ACE-031: Not FDA approved. Clinical development halted in 2011 after capillary leak observations. Follistatin: Not FDA approved as recombinant protein. AAV-Follistatin gene therapy in clinical trials.

Related peptide comparisons

ace-031 vs b7-33ace-031 vs gdf-8-95ace-031 vs igf-1-desace-031 vs igf-1-lr3b7-33 vs follistatinfollistatin vs gdf-8-95

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