Data edition of
Residue An evidence-graded reference for peptide science

A peptide class of 4 compounds

Tissue-repair & anti-inflammatory peptides

Is there human evidence for BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu or KPV?

A glass petri dish with a thin clear gel, folded white gauze, a glass dropper and a single oxblood thread

This is the class where public interest most outruns the evidence. A 2025 systematic review of BPC-157 in orthopedics found 36 eligible studies, of which 35 were preclinical1PubMedEmerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review. Vasireddi N et al. HSS J. 2025.. The peptide sold as TB-500 is a synthetic, N-terminally acetylated seven-residue fragment of thymosin β4 rather than the full protein2PubMedSynthesis and characterization of the N-terminal acetylated 17-23 fragment of thymosin beta 4 identified in TB-500, a product suspected to possess doping potential. Esposito S et al. Drug Test Anal. 2012.; the full-length protein has been tested in small human trials, as eye drops and as a topical treatment for venous ulcers3PubMedThymosin beta 4 ophthalmic solution for dry eye: a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II clinical trial conducted using the controlled adverse environment (CAE™) model. Sosne G & Ousler GW Clin Ophthalmol. 2015.,4PubMedThymosin beta-4 and venous ulcers: clinical remarks on a European prospective, randomized study on safety, tolerability, and enhancement on healing. Guarnera G et al. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007.. KPV, the C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH, has been studied in mouse colitis models5PubMedPepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Dalmasso G et al. Gastroenterology. 2008., and GHK-Cu mainly in skin and wound biology6PubMedGHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. Pickart L et al. Biomed Res Int. 2015..

FDA lists all four (GHK-Cu for injectable routes) among bulk substances whose compounding nominations were withdrawn, while still recording potential safety risks7FDACertain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. U.S. FDA, content current as of 04/22/2026..

Table 1. Tissue-repair & anti-inflammatory peptides on Residue, by best evidence grade. Bars show PubMed records on a log scale; counts are from the data edition.
GradeCompoundClassLiteratureRegistered studies
C BPC-157Not FDA-approved · FDA compounding nomination withdrawn Repair 225 4 · 2 active
C GHK-CuNot FDA-approved · injectable-route nomination withdrawn Repair 134 3 · 2 active
D TB-500Not FDA-approved · FDA compounding nomination withdrawn Repair 1,157 20 · 3 active
D KPVNot FDA-approved · FDA compounding nomination withdrawn Repair 53 0

Monographs in this class

  • C
    BPC-157

    A 15-residue peptide derived from a gastric protein, with hundreds of rodent studies behind it — and, by the count of a 2025 systematic review, one clinical study in orthopedics.

  • C
    GHK-Cu

    A naturally occurring tripeptide that binds copper, long used in skin-care products. The biology is rich; the controlled human evidence is one small randomized study with no objective benefit.

  • D
    TB-500

    Sold as 'thymosin beta-4', TB-500 is actually a seven-residue acetylated fragment of it. The full protein has human trials; the fragment, as FDA notes, has no human exposure data.

  • D
    KPV

    Lys-Pro-Val, the last three residues of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It calms inflammation in mouse colitis models. No human study of it has been published or registered.

Comparisons

References

Every source below was retrieved from its official API or page and cached on the data-edition date. Numbers match the margin notes.

  1. 1 PubMed Vasireddi N, Hahamyan H, Salata MJ, et al. Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review. HSS J 2025. PMID 40756949; doi:10.1177/15563316251355551.
  2. 2 PubMed Esposito S, Deventer K, Goeman J, et al. Synthesis and characterization of the N-terminal acetylated 17-23 fragment of thymosin beta 4 identified in TB-500, a product suspected to possess doping potential. Drug Test Anal 2012. PMID 22962027; doi:10.1002/dta.1402.
  3. 3 PubMed Sosne G, Ousler GW. Thymosin beta 4 ophthalmic solution for dry eye: a randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase II clinical trial conducted using the controlled adverse environment (CAE™) model. Clin Ophthalmol 2015. PMID 26056426; doi:10.2147/OPTH.S80954.
  4. 4 PubMed Guarnera G, DE Rosa A, Camerini R. Thymosin beta-4 and venous ulcers: clinical remarks on a European prospective, randomized study on safety, tolerability, and enhancement on healing. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007. PMID 17495250; doi:10.1196/annals.1415.003.
  5. 5 PubMed Dalmasso G, Charrier-Hisamuddin L, Nguyen HT, et al. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterology 2008. PMID 18061177; doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2007.10.026.
  6. 6 PubMed Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. Biomed Res Int 2015. PMID 26236730; doi:10.1155/2015/648108.
  7. 7 FDA Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks. U.S. FDA, content current as of 04/22/2026.