This vial supplies GHK-Cu at 50mg alongside KPV at 20mg as a single lyophilized preparation. Both are short peptides studied in dermal and inflammatory research contexts, and the pairing brings together two mechanisms that operate on different arms of tissue response.
Why these two
GHK-Cu is a tripeptide-copper complex — glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine bound to divalent copper. Published work centres on extracellular matrix biology: collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis, metalloproteinase and TIMP expression, fibroblast behaviour in dermal preparations. It carries the larger share of the vial at 50mg. Full technical detail on this component is in the GHK-Cu research guide.
KPV is a tripeptide, Lys-Pro-Val, corresponding to the C-terminal fragment of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Where the full alpha-MSH sequence engages melanocortin receptors and drives pigmentation, this three-residue fragment retains anti-inflammatory activity reported in the literature without the receptor binding that produces melanogenesis. That separation is what makes it interesting — a case where a fragment does one job of the parent hormone and not the other.
Matrix synthesis and inflammatory signalling are distinct processes. Whether combining them yields effects beyond each individually is an open research question rather than an established finding.
Specification
Supplied as a light blue powder — the colour comes from the copper coordination in the GHK-Cu component, lighter than pure GHK-Cu because of the KPV fraction. Soluble in water. This batch assayed at 99.59% purity, verified by HPLC and LC-MS at ILS Lab. GHK-Cu component CAS 49557-75-7. As a blended preparation no single molecular weight applies.
Handling
Reconstitute with bacteriostatic or sterile water, introducing the diluent against the vial wall and swirling gently rather than shaking.
Because this preparation contains a copper complex, avoid chelating agents such as EDTA in buffer preparations — these will strip the copper from the GHK-Cu component. Loss of blue colouration indicates the complex has dissociated.
Store lyophilized at −20°C protected from light; refrigerate at 2–8°C once reconstituted.
Ships with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis. Cross-check the batch ID printed on your vial against the CoA before use — see the guide to reading a CoA if you are unfamiliar with the format.
Frequently asked questions about the GHK-Cu + KPV blend
What is KPV and how does it relate to alpha-MSH?
KPV is the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, corresponding to the C-terminal three residues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The full alpha-MSH sequence engages melanocortin receptors and drives pigmentation; this fragment retains anti-inflammatory activity reported in the literature without that receptor binding. It is a clean example of a fragment performing one function of a parent hormone and not another — the opposite trade-off from Melanotan I, which retains the pigmentation activity.
Why is this blend light blue rather than deep blue?
Dilution of the copper fraction. The blue comes from copper coordination in the GHK-Cu component, and here that component is 50mg of a 70mg total — so the shade is lighter than pure GHK-Cu powder. The colour remains a useful integrity check: loss of blue means the copper complex has dissociated.
Blend or separate components?
Separate, if attribution matters. The two act through different mechanisms — matrix synthesis versus inflammatory signalling — so an observation from the blend cannot be assigned to either. Where the combined preparation is itself the research subject, the blend saves a preparation step and removes one source of pipetting error.
Does the copper affect how KPV behaves?
It is a fair question and not fully settled. The two are supplied together in the solid state and dissolved together, so copper is present in solution alongside KPV. Researchers concerned about interaction should reconstitute the components separately and combine at the point of use, which gives control over both ratio and contact time.
Research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, not for use in diagnostic procedures, and not evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
