Home · Research Catalog · KPV

Repair & Recovery · Research Compound

KPV: Research Overview

What is KPV? KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val — the C-terminal three-amino-acid fragment of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). With a molecular weight of about 342.4 g/mol, it is one of the smallest peptides in the research catalog and is studied in preclinical inflammation and gut-barrier models. It is sold strictly for laboratory research use.
VP Peptides verified packaging with independent COA and QR authentication
Verified VP Peptides packaging · COA with every batch · scan to verify
Mechanistic · limited human data ≥99% HPLC purity COA with every batch 3rd-party tested Research use only
Preclinical / mechanistic research only

In its 2026 review, the FDA stated it identified no clinical studies and no human exposure data for KPV by any route, and that potential human risks are unknown. KPV should be presented as preclinical / mechanistic research — not as a compound with clinical evidence. Keep all claims very conservative.

FDA PCAC briefing, July 2026.

Technical profile

CompoundKPV (Lys-Pro-Val; α-MSH C-terminal tripeptide)
ClassTripeptide fragment of a naturally occurring hormone
Sequence originC-terminal fragment of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)
Molecular formulaC16H30N4O4
Molecular weight342.43 g/mol
CAS number67727-97-3
PubChem CID125672
Form suppliedLyophilized powder, sealed vial
StorageLyophilized: 2–8 °C, protected from light.
VerificationHPLC purity ≥99%, sterility, endotoxins, heavy metals — documented on the batch COA

Evidence at a glance

Research evidence is not one category. Human, animal (preclinical) and in-vitro / mechanistic data differ in strength — often sharply. VP Peptides separates them so no single line overstates the whole picture. Ratings are deliberately conservative and describe the published evidence base, not any effect in humans.

Human clinical
None identified
Animal / preclinical
Limited
In-vitro / mechanistic
Moderate
Regulatory statusNot FDA-approved. On July 23, 2026 the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 8-6 to recommend it for the 503A bulks list (non-binding, pending HHS); FDA scientific staff reported no human clinical studies of KPV were identified for the proposed indications.
What remains unknown
  • No human exposure or clinical efficacy/safety data identified by FDA
  • Animal evidence largely confined to rodent colitis models; generalizability unknown
  • Human pharmacokinetics, effective route of delivery and dosing uncharacterized

What does the research literature cover?

Research interest in KPV stems from its parent molecule: α-MSH is a naturally occurring signaling peptide, and its C-terminal tripeptide has been studied as a minimal fragment in its own right. Published cell-culture and animal-model studies have examined KPV in the context of:

Important context: the published evidence base is preclinical (cell and animal models). KPV has no approved human use in any jurisdiction, and summaries here describe what researchers have studied — they are not claims about effects in humans.

Why purity matters for KPV research

Peptide research results are only as reliable as the material in the vial. For a tripeptide as small as KPV, synthesis by-products and endotoxin contamination can dominate experimental noise if unchecked. Every VP Peptides KPV batch ships with a Certificate of Analysis documenting ≥99% HPLC purity plus sterility, endotoxin and heavy-metal testing from independent third-party testing.

Request catalog access

Frequently asked questions

Is KPV approved for human use?

No. KPV is not approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency for human use. It is supplied strictly as a research chemical for in-vitro and laboratory investigation. It is not a drug, supplement, or food ingredient.

What does a KPV Certificate of Analysis include?

Each batch COA documents HPLC purity (≥99% specification), sterility, endotoxin and heavy-metal screening results, along with batch number and test date.

How should KPV be stored in the lab?

Lyophilized vials should be kept at 2–8 °C and protected from light.

How is KPV related to alpha-MSH?

KPV corresponds to the final three amino acids (Lys-Pro-Val) at the C-terminus of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a naturally occurring thirteen-amino-acid signaling peptide. Researchers study the tripeptide as a minimal fragment of the parent hormone in preclinical models.

How is KPV studied at the molecular level?

A recurring theme across the KPV literature is its behavior in inflammatory-signaling assays. In cultured macrophage-like cells, melanocortin-derived peptides including the C-terminal tripeptide have been reported to reduce lipopolysaccharide- and interferon-driven nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA binding and downstream nitric-oxide output, with investigators describing more than one mechanism rather than a single receptor interaction (Mandrika and colleagues, 2001). NF-κB is a transcription-factor system that many pro-inflammatory genes depend on, so assays that read out its activation are a common way to characterize how a small peptide behaves in a controlled dish.

In rodent models of inflammatory bowel disease, the same tripeptide has been examined in dextran-sulfate-sodium colitis. Published work reported reduced inflammatory infiltrates and an altered disease course in treated animals, and framed the effect as at least partly independent of the melanocortin-1 receptor, consistent with the transporter-mediated (PepT1) uptake route described in the intestinal-epithelium literature (Kannengiesser and colleagues, 2008; Dalmasso and colleagues, 2008).

Two cautions belong beside every one of these summaries. First, these are cell-culture and animal findings; they characterize what the molecule does in defined preclinical systems, not what it does in people — and, as noted above, regulatory reviewers reported no human clinical or exposure data for KPV. Second, mechanistic readouts such as NF-κB binding or cytokine levels describe biological activity in a model; they are not evidence of a clinical benefit, a safe dose, or a defined route of delivery, none of which have been established. VP Peptides presents this material only to summarize the published preclinical record for laboratory researchers.

Selected research references

Related research compounds

Research use only. All products described on this page are furnished for laboratory research purposes only and are not for human or veterinary use, not for use in food or cosmetics, and not for any diagnostic or therapeutic application. Nothing on this page is medical advice or a claim of safety or efficacy in humans. Research summaries reference publicly available preclinical literature; specific citations are listed in the references above.