KPV

Educational overview

KPV is listed in the ezGLP knowledgebase under Anti-inflammatory. Evidence and regulatory status can vary by formulation, route, and jurisdiction.

KPV is the tripeptide lysine-proline-valine, corresponding to the three C-terminal amino acids (residues 11 to 13) of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). It is classed as an anti-inflammatory signaling peptide derived from a melanocortin, although unlike full-length alpha-MSH it does not appear to act through classical melanocortin receptors and does not darken pigment. Cell and animal studies attribute its effects to entry into epithelial and immune cells, in the gut through the PepT1 oligopeptide transporter, followed by inhibition of NF-kB signaling and reduced production of inflammatory cytokines. It is often marketed alongside tissue-repair peptides because of this anti-inflammatory rationale.

Evidence for KPV is preclinical. The best-cited work is a 2008 Gastroenterology study from Emory University showing that KPV taken up through PepT1 reduced intestinal inflammation in cultured cells and in mouse colitis models. Later studies packaged KPV in nanoparticles for oral delivery to the colon in mice, and other groups examined it in models of skin inflammation, fungal infection, and mast-cell activation. There is no published controlled human trial of KPV by any route, and the FDA stated in 2023 that it had identified no human exposure data for products containing it. Full-length alpha-MSH analogs have reached the clinic, but their results are not evidence for the tripeptide.

KPV is not approved as a medicine anywhere. In 2023 the FDA placed it on the list of bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks when compounded, noting that it lacked any information on whether the product would cause harm in humans; that listing excludes KPV from routine compounding under section 503A. Products sold as KPV are therefore research-grade material or unapproved compounded preparations. It is marketed as a lyophilized powder for subcutaneous injection, as oral capsules, and in topical or nasal forms, none of which have regulatory review. KPV is not named on the WADA Prohibited List, although the S0 category applies to non-approved substances generally.

For injection, KPV is supplied as a lyophilized powder that is reconstituted before use; oral and topical products follow their own product labels. No human pharmacokinetic study has been published, so the library carries no half-life estimate, and storage and beyond-use time follow the product or pharmacy label rather than a reference value. A dose log for KPV commonly records product form, lot, reconstitution date, concentration, route, and any reaction. Because KPV is frequently sold inside fixed-ratio blends with BPC-157, TB-500, or GHK-Cu, an inventory record that names each component and its stated amount per vial makes later reconciliation of what was administered possible.

Category

Anti-inflammatory

Routes represented

Subcutaneous (SubQ)

Storage context

Follow the dispensed product or pharmacy label; storage and beyond-use time vary by formulation.