SNAP-8

Topical Research Use Only

SNAP-8 is a topical research peptide. Published research has studied it in cosmetic-chemistry formulations applied to the skin, not as an injectable. All research protocols described below refer to topical application in a laboratory setting.

Overview

SNAP-8 is a synthetic eight-amino-acid peptide developed by Lipotec (Barcelona, now part of Lubrizol) and introduced in the mid-2000s as a second-generation extension of Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8). Under the INCI system it is registered as Acetyl Octapeptide-3, and in some peptide chemistry references it is listed as Acetyl Glutamyl Heptapeptide-1. Its CAS number is 868844-74-0.

This vial contains 10mg of SNAP-8 as a lyophilised powder for reconstitution with sterile diluent in the laboratory.

What is SNAP-8?

SNAP-8 is a linear, N-terminally acetylated, C-terminally amidated octapeptide with the sequence Ac-Glu-Glu-Met-Gln-Arg-Arg-Ala-Asp-NH2. It has a reported monoisotopic mass of approximately 1075 Da.

The sequence is a direct mimic of a fragment at the N-terminal end of SNAP-25, a synaptosomal-associated protein that sits at the core of the SNARE complex. SNAP-8 extends the six-residue Argireline sequence by two additional residues (alanine and aspartic acid), which is reported in the supplier literature to broaden the section of SNAP-25 that the peptide can mimic.

Mechanism of Action

The published mechanistic description of SNAP-8 centres on the SNARE complex, the four-helix protein bundle (syntaxin, synaptobrevin and SNAP-25) that drives synaptic vesicle docking and neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic membrane.

SNAP-8 is described in the supplier and secondary literature as a competitive, non-covalent mimic of the N-terminal portion of SNAP-25. The proposed model is that the peptide occupies binding sites normally used by native SNAP-25, slowing or destabilising SNARE assembly and, in turn, modulating acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction.

This is explicitly distinct from the mechanism of botulinum toxin, which enzymatically cleaves SNAP-25. SNAP-8 does not cleave SNAP-25 and is described as a reversible interaction in the available literature.

The molecular detail remains supplier-led. There is no large published peer-reviewed body of in vivo pharmacokinetic work on SNAP-8 comparable to that available for classical neuropeptides, and its skin-permeability profile is an active methodological question in the cosmetic-chemistry literature.

Published Research

Published and supplier-sponsored research contexts for SNAP-8 include:

Published human clinical data on SNAP-8 remains limited in scope and is predominantly supplier-sponsored. There is no peer-reviewed data on systemic administration in humans.

Topical Research Protocols

Critical concentration clarification: the widely repeated "3% to 10%" figure in consumer cosmetic copy refers to the incorporation rate of a supplied aqueous peptide solution that itself contains only approximately 0.05% pure SNAP-8 by weight. The true pure-peptide concentration on skin in the Lipotec developer-sponsored study is approximately 0.005% w/w, not 3% or 10%. Researchers planning protocols should work from pure-peptide weight, not supplier-solution incorporation rate.

Concentration

The most widely cited developer-sponsored study applied a supplier solution at 10% incorporation in a finished formulation. That supplier solution contained approximately 0.05% pure peptide, resulting in an on-skin pure-peptide concentration of approximately 0.005%. The ingredient-supplier technical range (3% to 10% incorporation of supplier solution) corresponds to approximately 0.0015% to 0.005% pure peptide on skin.

Frequency and duration

The developer-sponsored protocol applied the formulation twice daily for 28 days on a small panel, with wrinkle-depth imaging as the primary endpoint. Longer 56-day or 84-day windows referenced in downstream cosmetic marketing are not consistently documented in the original developer dossier and should be treated as unverified.

Reconstitution math for this 10mg vial

To mirror the developer-sponsored stock solution (approximately 0.05% pure peptide), reconstitute 10mg of powder in 20mL of carrier. Applying that stock at the published 10% incorporation rate in a finished topical formulation yields approximately 0.005% pure peptide on skin. Applying at the 3% lower bound yields approximately 0.0015%.

Carrier

Published research uses SNAP-8 in simple aqueous carrier (water with a preservative such as caprylyl glycol), incorporated into finished emulsions, hydrogels, or serums at the cool-down phase below 40°C to preserve peptide integrity.

Not injectable

No peer-reviewed research supports systemic (injected) administration of SNAP-8. This product is supplied for topical research formulation and laboratory analytical research only.

Quality and Verification

Every batch ships with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis documenting purity by HPLC (≥99%) and mass spectrometry confirmation of peptide identity. The vial is shipped lyophilised to preserve stability during transit and should be stored at or below -20°C prior to reconstitution and at 2-8°C after reconstitution in the laboratory.

Further Reading

For background on handling lyophilised research peptides, see our reconstitution calculator.

Disclaimer

For research use only. Not for human consumption. The information provided is for educational and research purposes only. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult published peer-reviewed literature before designing research protocols.