--- title: "Desmopressin" canonical_url: https://peptidelibrary.app/library/desmopressin description: "Synthetic vasopressin analog approved for central diabetes insipidus, primary nocturnal enuresis, nocturia, and for raising factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in mild haemophilia A and type 1 von Willebrand disease." updated: 2026-11-07 publisher: Peptide Library notice: "Research and educational use only. Not medical advice." --- # Desmopressin Desmopressin is an FDA-approved selective V2 receptor agonist in the Vasopressin Receptor Agonist class. Two structural modifications to vasopressin — deamination at position 1 and substitution of D-arginine at position 8 — give desmopressin strong selectivity for the V2 receptor over V1a, so antidiuretic activity is retained while pressor activity is largely lost. Synthetic vasopressin analog approved for central diabetes insipidus, primary nocturnal enuresis, nocturia, and for raising factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in mild haemophilia A and type 1 von Willebrand disease. ## Classification - Type: FDA-approved selective V2 receptor agonist - Mechanism class: Vasopressin Receptor Agonist - Development stage: Approved product - Regulatory class: FDA-approved medicine ## Mechanism Two structural modifications to vasopressin — deamination at position 1 and substitution of D-arginine at position 8 — give desmopressin strong selectivity for the V2 receptor over V1a, so antidiuretic activity is retained while pressor activity is largely lost. V2 stimulation promotes renal water reabsorption, and separately triggers release of von Willebrand factor and factor VIII from vascular endothelial storage sites. ## Properties - Molecular formula: C46H64N14O12S2 - Molecular weight: 1,069.2 g/mol - Studied routes: Oral, Subcutaneous, Intravenous, Intranasal ## Evidence - Evidence level: FDA Approved - Highest documented: Regulatory review (FDA label) - Human trials: 0 - Controlled human trials: 0 - Preclinical sources: 0 Each step shows whether the sources Peptide Library has reviewed include that kind of research. Counts are reviewed sources, not every study ever published. Reviews and programme summaries that describe human use are shown as "reported", not as trials, and registered trials without published results are listed but not counted. A higher step means research has progressed further; it does not mean a compound works better or is safer. Compounds whose evidence has not been reviewed yet show "Not reviewed" instead of a guess. ### Studies 1. DDAVP (desmopressin acetate) tablets — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed. Regulatory label (FDA), human. Population: Adults and children with central diabetes insipidus. Antidiuresis [Source](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6d55baa9-2b62-469c-93ae-3909ab249332) 2. DDAVP (desmopressin acetate) tablets — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed. Regulatory label (FDA), human. Population: Children aged 6 and over with primary nocturnal enuresis. Management of primary nocturnal enuresis [Source](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6d55baa9-2b62-469c-93ae-3909ab249332) 3. DDAVP (desmopressin acetate) injection — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed. Regulatory label (FDA), human. Population: Central diabetes insipidus; hemophilia A with factor VIII above 5%; type 1 von Willebrand disease. Antidiuresis; maintained hemostasis [Source](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=651f6fee-a2c7-431b-8d5d-58b156c72244) ## Safety Human safety basis: FDA prescribing information ## Regulatory status Desmopressin is an FDA-approved product for specific labelled indications. Approval does not extend to the research contexts described on this page, and approved products are prescription medicines. - FDA status: Approved - Availability: Prescription-Only ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Desmopressin? Synthetic vasopressin analog approved for central diabetes insipidus, primary nocturnal enuresis, nocturia, and for raising factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in mild haemophilia A and type 1 von Willebrand disease. ### How does Desmopressin work? Two structural modifications to vasopressin — deamination at position 1 and substitution of D-arginine at position 8 — give desmopressin strong selectivity for the V2 receptor over V1a, so antidiuretic activity is retained while pressor activity is largely lost. V2 stimulation promotes renal water reabsorption, and separately triggers release of von Willebrand factor and factor VIII from vascular endothelial storage sites. ### Is Desmopressin FDA approved? Yes. Desmopressin is approved by the FDA, and approved products are prescription medicines. Approval is always for specific indications studied in clinical trials, so an approved status does not mean the compound is approved for every use it is discussed for. Research-chemical material sold under the same name is not the approved product. ### What peptides are similar to Desmopressin? Compounds most often compared with Desmopressin include Vasopressin, Terlipressin, Angiotensin II and Cetrorelix. They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ. ## References - [A systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the efficacy of Tuina for nocturnal enuresis in children — Front Pharmacol, 2024](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38962315/) - [Desmopressin as a hemostatic and blood sparing agent in bleeding disorders — Eur J Haematol, 2023](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36656570/) - [Effect of Desmopressin on Bleeding After Heart Surgeries: A Narrative Review — Anesth Pain Med, 2023](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37645010/) - [Desmopressin acetate the first sublingual tablet to treat nocturia due to nocturnal polyuria — Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol, 2021](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33993824/) - [Desmopressin (Nocdurna and Noctiva) for nocturnal polyuria — Med Lett Drugs Ther, 2019](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31022158/)