Pancragen, also known by its tetrapeptide designation KEDW (Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp), is a synthetic tetrapeptide bioregulator with an approximate molecular weight of 576 g/mol. Developed at the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology as part of the Khavinson peptide bioregulator series, Pancragen was designed based on peptide fractions associated with pancreatic tissue. Its sequence, Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp, incorporates a C-terminal tryptophan residue, an aromatic amino acid containing the indole ring system. The KED core motif is shared with Vesugen, Testagen, and Prostamax, with the C-terminal residue varying across the organ-specific bioregulator series. Produced via solid-phase peptide synthesis, Pancragen is associated with pancreatic tissue gene expression and endocrine pancreatic signalling pathways.

Pancragen is an organ-specific tetrapeptide bioregulator within the Khavinson framework. A dedicated in vitro study has shown that in dissociated cultures of pancreatic cells from young and aged animals, pancragen stimulated the expression of differentiation factors of acinar cells and of the islets of Langerhans, the expression of which otherwise declined with culture ageing, consistent with a model in which the peptide acts on the transcriptional programme governing insulin-producing and acinar cell identity [1]. An in vivo study in aged female rhesus monkeys with impaired glucose tolerance reported that pancragen administration was associated with greater glucose clearance and normalisation of the insulin and C-peptide responses relative to the aged control pattern, with partial persistence after administration ceased [2], making Pancragen a reference compound in preclinical endocrinology research examining pancreatic-cell differentiation, age-associated glucose intolerance, and organ-specific short-peptide regulation of endocrine pancreatic function.

Pancragen is manufactured in a cGMP compliant, ISO9001 certified laboratory to a guaranteed purity of 98% or above. Every batch is independently tested using HPLC and MS-UPLC analysis before dispatch. Vials are vacuum sealed and stored in a temperature controlled, monitored cold storage system. Certificates of Analysis are available on request.

Sold strictly for in vitro research purposes only. Not for human consumption. Intended for use by qualified researchers in laboratory settings only.

Editorial Team

Dr. Martina Rossi, PhD

Scientific Contributor and Reviewer

Reviewed and approved 14 June 2026

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