Urocortin-2
Evidence: CCardiovascular / Vascular
Evidence Snapshot
Regulatory Context
This page summarizes research on the peptide and does not imply that the peptide is an FDA-approved drug or approved for a particular indication. Molecule-specific regulatory status requires verification against official regulatory records.
Research Takeaway
Urocortin-2 (UCN2), also called Urocortin II or stresscopin-related peptide, is distinct from Urocortin-1, Urocortin-3, CRH/CRF, and CRHR2-targeting drugs.
Evidence boundary: Stresscopin alone is not accepted as a Urocortin-2 alias in this batch.
See all 7 evidence claims →Quick Summary
Urocortin-2 is a CRHR2-preferring endogenous peptide with direct human cardiovascular evidence in healthy volunteers and heart-failure patients. Acute studies show strong vasodilator and cardiac-output effects, and a small randomized heart-failure study provides early clinical evidence, but the database remains far too limited for definitive treatment or long-term safety claims.
Mechanism & Research Overview
Urocortin-2 is a CRHR2-preferring endogenous peptide with direct human cardiovascular evidence in healthy volunteers and heart-failure patients. Acute studies show strong vasodilator and cardiac-output effects, and a small randomized heart-failure study provides early clinical evidence, but the database remains far too limited for definitive treatment or long-term safety claims.
Evidence Claims
Individual scientific statements drawn from the sources cited below, each shown with the specific evidence boundary that statement does not establish.
Supported
Urocortin-2 (UCN2), also called Urocortin II or stresscopin-related peptide, is distinct from Urocortin-1, Urocortin-3, CRH/CRF, and CRHR2-targeting drugs.
Does not establish
Evidence boundary: Stresscopin alone is not accepted as a Urocortin-2 alias in this batch.
Sources: Urocortin 2 infusion in healthy humans: hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses; Urocortin 2 infusion in human heart failure
Supported
Direct Urocortin-2 infusion in healthy humans produces pronounced acute cardiovascular effects, including increased cardiac output and reduced systemic vascular resistance.
Does not establish
Evidence boundary: Acute experimental physiology is not chronic therapeutic efficacy.
Sources: Urocortin 2 infusion in healthy humans: hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses; Cardiovascular effects of urocortin 2 and urocortin 3 in patients with chronic heart failure and healthy volunteers
Supported
Small human heart-failure studies demonstrate acute hemodynamic and neurohormonal responses to Urocortin-2 infusion.
Does not establish
Evidence boundary: Early-phase surrogate responses do not establish morbidity or mortality benefit.
Sources: Urocortin 2 infusion in human heart failure; Urocortin-2 infusion in acute decompensated heart failure: findings from the UNICORN study; Cardiovascular effects of urocortin 2 and urocortin 3 in patients with chronic heart failure and healthy volunteers
Supported
The UNICORN randomized study tested Urocortin-2 as adjunct therapy in acute decompensated heart failure and provides limited early clinical-efficacy evidence.
Does not establish
Evidence boundary: The study involved 53 patients and was not a definitive outcomes trial; it does not establish Urocortin-2 as standard heart-failure therapy.
Sources: Urocortin-2 infusion in acute decompensated heart failure: findings from the UNICORN study
Supported
Human Urocortin-2 studies provide short-term safety and tolerability information in healthy and heart-failure populations.
Does not establish
Evidence boundary: Acute infusion studies do not establish chronic systemic safety.
Sources: Urocortin 2 infusion in healthy humans: hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses; Urocortin 2 infusion in human heart failure; Urocortin-2 infusion in acute decompensated heart failure: findings from the UNICORN study
Supported
Evidence from Urocortin-3, generic Stresscopin, CRH, or synthetic CRHR2 agonists cannot be transferred to Urocortin-2 without exact molecular verification.
Supported
No molecule-specific regulatory conclusion is frozen for Urocortin-2 in Stage 2B.
Safety & Evidence Limitations
Considerations reported in the sources cited on this page — not a complete list of every possible risk, and not medical advice.
Safety Consideration
UCN2 can materially lower systemic vascular resistance and alter cardiac output/heart rate during infusion.Safety Consideration
Neurohormonal activation was observed at higher experimental exposure in early human studies.Safety Consideration
Heart-failure evidence remains small and short-term; hard clinical-outcome benefit is not established.Safety Consideration
Urocortin-family naming creates a meaningful wrong-subject citation risk.
Research Areas Being Studied
Research areas discussed on this page reflect the Cardiovascular / Vascular category and the sources cited below.
Findings Reported in Studies
Educational summary only — reported in cited studies, not a claim of proven benefit.
- Cardiovascular effects of urocortin 2 and urocortin 3 in patients with chronic heart failure and healthy volunteers (2016):
- Urocortin-2 infusion in acute decompensated heart failure: findings from the UNICORN study (2013):
- Urocortin 2 infusion in healthy humans: hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses (2007):
- Urocortin 2 infusion in human heart failure (2007):
Study Tables by Evidence Type
Human Studies & Clinical Data
| Title | Year | Population / Model | Dose / Duration / Finding | Safety Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular effects of urocortin 2 and urocortin 3 in patients with chronic heart failure and healthy volunteers | 2016 | Healthy volunteers and chronic heart-failure patients | UCN2 and UCN3 caused vasodilation, reduced peripheral vascular resistance, and increased cardiac output in health and disease. | ||
| Urocortin-2 infusion in acute decompensated heart failure: findings from the UNICORN study | 2013 | 53 acute decompensated heart-failure patients; randomized UCN2 vs placebo adjunct therapy | Randomized trial evaluated hemodynamic, renal, biomarker, safety, and clinical signals during four-hour UCN2 infusion. | ||
| Urocortin 2 infusion in healthy humans: hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses | 2007 | Healthy humans; brief IV dose-ranging infusion | UCN2 produced dose-related increases in cardiac output, heart rate, and LVEF while reducing systemic vascular resistance. | ||
| Urocortin 2 infusion in human heart failure | 2007 | Eight male chronic heart-failure patients; placebo and dose-escalation infusion | UCN2 produced acute hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses in heart failure. |
Animal / Cell / Preclinical Data
No Animal / Cell / Preclinical Data Listed Yet
This section will be updated as sources are added.
Regulatory Documents & Official Trial Registries
No Regulatory Documents & Official Trial Registries Listed Yet
This section will be updated as sources are added.
Anecdotal Reported Patterns — Not Medical Advice
Anecdotal Reported Patterns — Not Medical Advice
Reported dosing patterns are included for educational context only. They are self-reported, unverified, not medical advice, and not instructions for human use. Community-submitted patterns are not yet available in this Phase 1 prototype; this section is a placeholder reserved for moderated, aggregated community data.
Lab Markers to Discuss With a Clinician
Educational topics only — not self-monitoring instructions.
FAQ
Disclaimer
Educational information only. This page summarizes published and official research and does not provide medical advice, a recommendation, or instructions for human use.
Educational use only. This content is provided for informational and research-summary purposes only. It is not medical advice, not a treatment recommendation, not a dosing guide, and not a substitute for care from a licensed medical professional. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or mitigate disease. Reported dosing patterns, when shown elsewhere on the site, must be labeled either as Study / Trial Dosing or Anecdotal Reported Patterns — Not Medical Advice. Community reports are self-reported, unverified, and not scientific proof.
Community-reported experiences, once enabled, must be displayed only as moderated, anonymized, or aggregated data. They are anecdotal, self-reported, unverified, and should never be presented as proof of safety, efficacy, or expected results.
Content status: Published. Last updated 2026-08-25.
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