Does Semax need to be refrigerated? Storage and shelf life

01The short version

Semax powder (lyophilised, in a vial) should be kept in the freezer or fridge and away from light. Semax in solution is less stable and should be refrigerated and used within weeks. A finished, preserved metered spray like FOCUS-01 is formulated to sit in a bag or a desk drawer at room temperature for the month it takes to use it, and in the fridge if you are keeping a spare bottle for longer.

02Dry powder in a vial

This is the form research suppliers sell. As a freeze-dried powder Semax is fairly robust: the manufacturer's certificate for our own raw material specifies an airtight container, protected from light, at minus 20 degrees. Two years is a typical retest date for the sealed powder. Keep it sealed, cold and dark and it is fine.

03Once it is in water

Peptides in solution degrade faster. Warmth, light, bacteria and repeated temperature cycling all shorten the life of a home-made spray, and bacteriostatic water only slows one of those. A vial reconstituted at home is generally considered good for two to four weeks in the fridge, and there is no way to check without a lab.

This is the practical argument for a made spray over a DIY one: the formulation, the preservative system and the sealed metered pump are what make the solution stable for a sensible length of time. More on that in Semax vials vs a metered spray.

04How to store FOCUS-01

• In use: room temperature is fine. Keep the cap on and keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators. A bottle is about forty doses, roughly a month of working days.
• Unopened spares: the fridge is best. Not the freezer, which can damage the pump.
• Travel: a day bag or hand luggage is fine. Airport liquids rules apply; the bottle is 10 mL.
• Signs it has gone: cloudiness, particles, a changed smell. A correctly stored bottle stays clear.

Check the expiry printed on the base of the carton and the batch lot on the batch results page.

05Quick answers

Does Semax need to be refrigerated? Powder: yes, or frozen. Home-made solution: yes. FOCUS-01 in use: no, though the fridge does no harm.

Can I freeze it? Powder, yes. Solutions and finished sprays, no.

How long does it last? Sealed powder about two years cold. Home solution weeks. FOCUS-01 to the printed expiry, unopened, and about a month once you start it because that is how long forty doses take.

What if it got warm in the post? A day or two in transit at British temperatures is within what the formulation tolerates. Weeks on a sunny windowsill is not.