Published · 3 references
BPC-157 vs KPV
BPC-157 and KPV are different molecules: BPC-157 is a 15-residue peptide, and KPV is a three-residue peptide corresponding to residues 11 to 13 of alpha-MSH.
Structure at a glance
BPC-157 · 15 residues
KPV · 3 residues
Letters are one-letter amino acid codes.
Drawn from the product database. Each measure's bars share one scale.
| Property | BPC-157 | KPV |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A synthetic 15-residue peptide. Described in the originating literature as a partial sequence of a protein reported in human gastric juice.[1] | A synthetic three-residue peptide corresponding to residues 11 to 13 of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). |
| How they relate | Different molecules from different parents. BPC-157 is described in the originating literature as a partial sequence of a protein reported in human gastric juice.[1] KPV corresponds to residues 11 to 13 of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). | |
| CAS number | 137525-51-0 | 67727-97-3 |
| Molecular formula | C62H98N16O22 | C16H30N4O4 |
| Molecular weight | 1,419.55 g/mol | 342.44 g/mol |
| Sequence | GEPPPGKPADDAGLV | KPV |
| Evidence base | Nearly all published research is preclinical. A 2025 systematic review counted 36 studies within its scope; the one clinical study was a retrospective case series of 12 patients. No randomized controlled trial has been published within that scope. | Its published record is preclinical. No published study has tested KPV in people. |
| Regulatory status | The FDA has not approved BPC-157 for human use. | The FDA has not approved KPV for human use. |
| Compared head-to-head? | No direct comparison found in PubMed (searched October 2026).[2] | |
| Handling difference | Neither contains cysteine, methionine or an aromatic residue. In solution, BPC-157 degrades fastest by rearrangement of its adjacent aspartates. KPV's main instability is ring closure across its first two residues, which cleaves off the third. | |
How BPC-157 and KPV differ
BPC-157 and KPV are different molecules from different parents. BPC-157 is a 15-residue peptide, described in the originating literature as a partial sequence of a protein reported in human gastric juice.[1] That isolated 15-residue form does not occur in nature, and the material used in studies is produced synthetically. KPV is a synthetic three-residue peptide corresponding to residues 11 to 13 of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), at that hormone's C-terminal end.
Alpha-MSH is amidated at its C-terminus, so the hormone's own three-residue end carries an amide group. KPV has a free acid at that end, which makes it an analog of the hormone's end piece without the amide. BPC-157 and KPV each have a free amine at the N-terminal end and a free acid at the C-terminal end.
A 2025 systematic review found that the BPC-157 evidence base within its scope remains overwhelmingly preclinical.[3] Within that review's scope, the one clinical study was a retrospective case series of 12 patients, and no randomized controlled trial has been published. KPV's published record is preclinical, and no published study has tested KPV in people.
A small number of affiliated laboratories produced much of the foundational animal work on BPC-157. The founding work on KPV came from one laboratory.
BPC-157 and KPV both contain proline, which restricts rotation of the peptide chain. BPC-157 has four prolines, three of them in a row, and KPV has one, in its second position. In ordinary working conditions, BPC-157 is net anionic, with three acidic side chains against one basic one. KPV is net cationic, with a lysine and no acidic side chain.
Have BPC-157 and KPV been compared directly?
No direct comparison of BPC-157 and KPV was found in a PubMed search run in October 2026.[2] That search covers PubMed only.
Read more on each compound
BPC-157
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BPC-157 the same as KPV?+−
BPC-157 and KPV are different molecules: BPC-157 is a 15-residue peptide, and KPV is a three-residue peptide corresponding to residues 11 to 13 of alpha-MSH. BPC-157 is described in the originating literature as a partial sequence of a protein reported in human gastric juice.
References
- 1Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Grabarevic Z, Petek M, Rucman R, Turkovic B, et al. The beneficial effect of BPC 157, a 15 amino acid peptide BPC fragment, on gastric and duodenal lesions induced by restraint stress, cysteamine and 96% ethanol in rats. Life Sci. 1994;54(5):PL63-68. PMID 7904712
- 2PubMed search via NCBI E-utilities, run 3 October 2026; records entered to 2 October 2026. Query: ("BPC-157"[tiab] OR "BPC 157"[tiab] OR "BPC157"[tiab] OR "body protection compound"[tiab] OR "gastric pentadecapeptide"[tiab] OR "pentadecapeptide BPC"[tiab]) AND ("KPV"[tiab] OR "Lys-Pro-Val"[tiab] OR "lysine-proline-valine"[tiab] OR "alpha-MSH 11-13"[tiab] OR "MSH 11-13"[tiab] OR "Ac-KPV-NH2"[tiab] OR "C-terminal tripeptide"[tiab] OR "carboxyl-terminal tripeptide"[tiab] OR "COOH-terminal tripeptide"[tiab]) AND ("1800/01/01"[edat] : "2026/10/02"[edat]). 1 record; none was a direct comparison of the two compounds.
- 3Vasireddi N, Hahamyan H, Salata MJ, Karns M, Calcei JG, Voos JE, et al. Emerging use of BPC-157 in orthopaedic sports medicine: a systematic review. HSS J. 2025 Jul 31;21(4):485-95. doi:10.1177/15563316251355551. PMID 40756949.
Related comparisons
BPC-157 vs TB-500
BPC-157 is a 15-residue peptide and TB-500 a seven-residue fragment of Thymosin Beta-4: two different molecules.
Read ComparisonTB-500 vs Thymosin Beta-4
TB-500 is a seven-residue fragment of Thymosin Beta-4; most published research associated with TB-500 used the full 43-residue peptide.
Read Comparison