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Healing & repairPeptideEvidence C3 cited

KPV

Lysine-Proline-Valine Tripeptide

aka KPV tripeptide · Lys-Pro-Val · alpha-MSH fragment 11-13

A tripeptide derived from alpha-MSH, researched for anti-inflammatory effects in gut and intestinal tissue.

Molecular wt
342.43g/mol
Formula
C16H30N4O4
CAS
67727-97-3
Half-life
1 h
estimated
Tmax
30 min
Route
Subcutaneous injection
PubChem
125672

Sequence

One-letter3 residues

KPV

Three-letter

Lys-Pro-Val

Read this before quoting the sequence
Tripeptide corresponding to the C-terminal three residues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, alpha-MSH(11-13). PubChem CID 125672 is titled 'Msh (11-13)' with synonyms 'Lys-pro-val' and 'L-Lysyl-L-prolyl-L-valine'. The PubChem record is the free acid; some research material is supplied as the C-terminal amide (KPV-NH2), which is a different molecule with a different mass.
Source ↗

Mechanism of action

KPV is a tripeptide derived from alpha-MSH that exerts its effects by binding to melanocortin receptors, particularly MC1R and MC3R. This interaction leads to the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production and the promotion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. It also reduces oxidative stress and modulates immune cell activity, contributing to its anti-inflammatory properties.

What the evidence actually shows

Grade C

There are currently no published human clinical trials specifically investigating KPV. Most evidence comes from animal studies and in vitro experiments showing anti-inflammatory effects. Human trials are needed to confirm efficacy and safety in clinical settings. | REGULATORY: FDA Category 2 reclassification to Category 1 expected (announced Feb 2026).

Regulatory status

Status
Not approved in any jurisdiction; research compound. No marketing authorisation identified in Drugs@FDA or the EMA medicines register.
Clinical stage
No registered interventional human trials of KPV identified; published evidence is in vitro and murine.
WADA
Not named on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List. Note S2 also captures 'other substances with similar chemical structure or similar biological effect(s)'.
UK
research_compound

KPV is not approved for medical use in the UK and is considered a research compound by the MHRA.

Source ↗

Pharmacokinetics

Half-life
1 h
Tmax
30 min
Absorption
subcutaneous
Elimination
renal
Washout
1 days
Low-confidence pharmacokinetics
These figures are recorded as estimated rather than measured in a published PK study. Treat them as an order of magnitude. Anything downstream of them — accumulation, steady state, washout — inherits that uncertainty.

Dosing — what backs each figure

KPV has no human dosing data and no registered interventional trial. All published in vivo work is rodent colitis modelling using oral (drinking water or nanoparticle) or rectal hydrogel delivery, which is a fundamentally different route from the subcutaneous injection assumed by the ported figure.

PreclinicalAnimal studies — not a human dose

  • KPV added to the drinking water (oral administration) in DSS-induced and TNBS-induced colitis; reduced colitis incidence and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Nanomolar KPV concentrations inhibited NF-kappaB and MAP kinase signalling in vitro

    mouse (DSS and TNBS colitis models) · oral (drinking water) · PMID 18061177

  • KPV loaded into hyaluronic acid-functionalised polymeric nanoparticles (~272 nm) encapsulated in a chitosan/alginate hydrogel, administered orally; reduced mucosal damage and downregulated TNF-alpha versus non-targeted KPV nanoparticles

    mouse (ulcerative colitis model) · oral · PMID 28143741

  • KPV delivered rectally in a KPV/SH-PGA hydrogel and in a PMSP-KPV double-network hydrogel; restored gut mucosal barrier and reduced IL-6 in TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis

    rat (TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis) · rectal · PMID 35245681

Animal doses do not convert to human doses by body weight alone. Route matters too — a compound dosed intraperitoneally in mice tells you little about subcutaneous use.

Commonly circulatedNot established by any study
Dose
Research literature cites ~250 to 500 mcg/day
Frequency
1-2x daily

Why this isn't evidence
A ClinicalTrials.gov intervention search for KPV returns zero studies and no human administration study was found, and the ported figure also assumes subcutaneous injection whereas every preclinical KPV study delivers it orally, rectally or topically to reach inflamed gut or skin tissue, so the 250-500 mcg/day subcutaneous figure has no source at all.

This figure is shown because it is what circulates and what people search for — not because it is supported. Cycle lengths in particular tend to be convention copied between compounds rather than anything derived from a compound's own pharmacokinetics.

No established human dose
No approved label or completed human trial establishes a dosing regimen for this compound. Anything presented as a standard protocol for it — anywhere — is someone's convention rather than a finding.

Handling and storage

No compound-specific stability data exists
No compound-specific published stability data (temperature/duration for lyophilised or reconstituted material, light sensitivity, freeze-thaw tolerance) was located in any regulatory label, pharmacopoeial monograph or peer-reviewed source. Only generic lyophilised-peptide handling guidance exists, and generic guidance is not compound-specific; no specific figures are asserted here. KPV has no approved product and no pharmacopoeial monograph. General peptide handling still applies — reconstitute gently, keep it cold, keep it dark — but any specific figure you see quoted for this compound elsewhere is someone's assumption, not a measurement.
→ Reconstitution walkthrough→ Reconstitution calculator

Safety

Commonly reported
  • ·Injection site reactions
Rarely reported
  • ·Potential allergic reactions
Contraindications
  • ·Known hypersensitivity to KPV or its components
Drug interactions
  • ·Corticosteroids: May enhance anti-inflammatory effects

Limited data; generally well tolerated

Reported combinations

Reported as synergistic
  • ·Curcumin
  • ·"Omega-3 fatty acids"
Reported as antagonistic
  • ·NSAIDs: Potential for increased gastrointestinal irritation

Combination claims in this dataset are largely unsourced and should be treated as folk knowledge until a citation appears beside them.

References (3)

Data provenance

Chemistry and citations on this page were checked against primary sources on 2026-08-14. Values that could not be verified were left blank rather than filled with a plausible guess.

Could not verify
storage.lyophilized, storage.reconstituted, storage.lightSensitive, reconstitution.solvent

Research use only
This profile is educational reference material. It is not medical advice, not a prescription, and not an endorsement of self-administration. Compounds discussed here are research chemicals and most are not approved for human therapeutic use.

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