BPC-157
Research PeptideAlso known as: Body Protection Compound 157 · Body Protective Compound · Pentadecapeptide BPC-157 · BPC 15 · BPC157 · PL 14736 · Bepecin
Preliminary Human
BPC-157 has a substantial preclinical literature (over 100 rodent studies, three decades) but only three published human studies, totaling roughly 30 participants, all from the same Florida clinical group without placebo controls. The 2015 Phase I trial that would have produced pharmacokinetic data was cancelled without publication. Calibrated assessment: mechanistically plausible, preclinically robust, clinically unvalidated.
Research use only. Not approved for human consumption in any jurisdiction listed here unless the Regulatory Status table below explicitly states otherwise.
Evidence Tier
Preliminary Human
Human Studies
4
FDA Status
503A Category 2
WADA Status
Prohibited (S0)
Mol. Weight
1419.55 Da
Last Reviewed
Apr 17, 2026
Claimed benefits by evidence tier
Column header colour matches the tier
Preliminary Human2
- Knee joint pain
- Interstitial cystitis symptom relief
Animal Only6
- Tendon & ligament healing
- Muscle injury recovery
- Gut healing / ulcer repair
- Nerve regeneration / traumatic brain injury
- Anxiety and depression
- Topical skin and wound healing
Anecdotal1
- Leaky gut / SIBO
Unsupported2
- Oral efficacy in humans
- Anti-aging / longevity
Regulatory watch
FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee reviewing BPC-157 (free base and acetate) for potential move to Category 1 for the ulcerative colitis indication.
If the committee recommends Category 1 for ulcerative colitis and the FDA concurs, 503A compounding pharmacies would regain the ability to compound BPC-157 for that specific indication. This would be the first legal US human-use pathway for BPC-157.
Expected 2026-07-22 · Docket FDA-2025-N-6895 · FDA-2025-N-6895
Vendors selling BPC-157
Found 21 vendors currently offering BPC-157 in their catalog.
🇪🇺Particle Peptides
Slovakia
COA Coverage
25/25
100%
✓ HPLC✓ MS✓ Endo✓ Ster✓ Metals
🇺🇸Ascension Peptides
USA
COA Coverage
9/16
56%
✓ HPLC✓ MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Verified Peptides
COA Coverage
138/138
100%
✓ HPLC✓ MS✓ Endo✓ Ster— Metals
🇺🇸Soma Chems
USA
COA Coverage
60/64
94%
✓ HPLC✓ MS✓ Endo— Ster— Metals
🇺🇸Sports Technology Labs
USA
COA Coverage
57/61
93%
✓ HPLC✓ MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Vida Labz
COA Coverage
48/49
98%
✓ HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Panda Peptides
COA Coverage
33/37
89%
✓ HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Peptide Partners
COA Coverage
29/35
83%
✓ HPLC— MS✓ Endo✓ Ster✓ Metals
NCRP Canada
COA Coverage
14/15
93%
✓ HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Qing Li Peptide
COA Coverage
8/13
62%
✓ HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
🇺🇸Limitless Life Nootropics
USA
COA Coverage
6/12
50%
✓ HPLC✓ MS✓ Endo✓ Ster— Metals
Amino Amigos
COA Coverage
10/39
26%
✓ HPLC✓ MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
🇺🇸BioLongevityLabs
USA
COA Coverage
43/89
48%
✓ HPLC✓ MS✓ Endo✓ Ster— Metals
SwissChems
COA Coverage
23/52
44%
✓ HPLC✓ MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
🇺🇸Core Peptides
USA
COA Coverage
18/103
17%
✓ HPLC✓ MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Pure Tested Peptides
COA Coverage
3/27
11%
✓ HPLC— MS✓ Endo— Ster— Metals
Pulse Peptides
COA Coverage
1/17
6%
✓ HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
HYB Peptides
No verified COAs
COA Coverage
0/32
0%
— HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
BioEdge Research Labs
No verified COAs
COA Coverage
0/20
0%
— HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Research Peptides Europe
No verified COAs
COA Coverage
0/36
0%
— HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
Blue Sky Peptide
No verified COAs
COA Coverage
0/45
0%
— HPLC— MS— Endo— Ster— Metals
All BPC-157 products
Every BPC-157 product across 21 verified vendors — sorted by vendor trust tier, then by COA purity (quantified reports beat unquantified), then by most recent COA date.
About this peptide
Plain English
BPC stands for "Body Protection Compound." It is a 15-amino-acid chain that researchers isolated from a larger protein found in human stomach juice. The idea is that the stomach produces this fragment as part of how it protects itself from its own acid, and that this protective effect might carry over to other tissues when the peptide is injected or taken orally. Most of the attention BPC-157 gets online comes from rat and mouse studies showing faster healing of tendons, muscle, gut lining, and blood vessels. Human evidence is thin.
Technical
BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide corresponding to residues 14–28 of Body Protection Compound, an unidentified larger protein isolated from human gastric juice. The sequence is stable in human gastric juice and resistant to enzymatic degradation, unusual for a peptide of its size. Proposed activity centers on VEGFR2 upregulation driving angiogenesis, NO-system modulation contributing to vasodilation and cytoprotection, and growth hormone receptor upregulation in tendon fibroblasts. The vast majority of the mechanistic data derives from a single Croatian research group (Sikirić et al.) across rodent models; no human pharmacokinetic profile has been established.
Mechanism of action
VEGFR2 / angiogenesis
Upregulates VEGFR2 signaling, accelerating new blood vessel formation at injury sites in animal models.
Nitric oxide system
Modulates NO production; rodent studies describe countering both NO-blockade and excessive NO states, contributing to vasodilation and cytoprotection.
Growth hormone receptor
Increases GHR expression in tendon fibroblasts in preclinical models, cited as a possible explanation for tendon-healing observations.
Neurotransmitter systems (CNS)
Interacts with dopaminergic, serotonergic, GABAergic, adrenergic, and cholinergic systems in rodent CNS studies — basis for speculative mood and neuroprotection claims.
Nearly all mechanistic data for BPC-157 comes from rats, mice, and isolated cells, overwhelmingly from one research group (Sikirić et al., Zagreb). No human pharmacokinetic profile has been established — the one Phase I study that would have produced PK data (NCT02637284, 42 volunteers, 2015) was cancelled and never published without public explanation.
Key studies
Independence warning: most efficacy evidence for this peptide originates from a single research group or single clinical group. Replication by independent groups is limited.
Safety of Intravenous Infusion of BPC157 in Humans: A Pilot Study (2025)
Lee E, Burgess K · Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 31(5):20–24
- Participants
- 2 adults (58-year-old Asian male, 68-year-old Caucasian female) who had previously received BPC-157
- Methodology
- Open-label. Day 1: 10 mg IV over 1 hour. Day 2: 20 mg IV over 1 hour. Vital signs, ECG, metabolic panel, thyroid function monitored.
- Result
- No adverse events reported. No clinically meaningful changes in any monitored parameter. Plasma concentrations returned to baseline within 24 hours.
Honest read
n=2 is insufficient to characterize population safety. Both participants had previously received BPC-157, which introduces selection bias against people who had adverse reactions. IRB approval was obtained through the Institute of Regenerative and Cellular Medicine (authors' affiliated institution). Useful as first human IV pharmacokinetic signal; not useful for drawing safety conclusions.
Effect of BPC-157 on symptoms in patients with interstitial cystitis: A pilot study (2024)
Lee E, Walker C, Ayadi B · Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 30:12–17
- Participants
- 12 women with moderate-to-severe interstitial cystitis
- Methodology
- Open-label pilot. 10 mg BPC-157 injected directly into the bladder wall. Symptom assessment pre- and post-treatment.
- Result
- 80–100% symptom resolution reported across participants.
Honest read
Striking effect size but no placebo arm, no blinding, no randomization, single-center. Same research group as the knee pain study. Authors affiliated with the clinic providing the treatment — direct conflict of interest. Interstitial cystitis has well-documented placebo responsiveness in the 20–40% range, and the assessment was unblinded. Useful as hypothesis-generating; cannot support efficacy claims.
Intra-Articular Injection of BPC 157 for Multiple Types of Knee Pain (2021)
Lee E, Padgett B · Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 27
- Participants
- 16 patients with chronic knee pain of varied etiology
- Methodology
- Retrospective. Intra-articular injection (2 cc of 2000 μg/mL solution). Follow-up via phone call 6–12 months post-injection. No standardized pain score. No imaging.
- Result
- 87.5% (14/16) reported "significant relief."
Honest read
Retrospective, no controls, no standardized pain measurement, no imaging, unblinded phone follow-up by the treating clinic. Authors affiliated with the clinic selling the treatment — patients paid out of pocket. The Vasireddi 2025 systematic review characterized the results as 'not overly informative and reliable.' This should not be read as efficacy evidence.
Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review (2025)
Vasireddi N, Hahamyan H, Salata MJ, et al. · American Journal of Sports Medicine / HSS Journal
- Participants
- Systematic review of literature (not patient-level)
- Methodology
- PRISMA systematic review. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase searched from inception to June 2024. 544 articles screened by two blinded reviewers.
- Result
- 36 studies met inclusion: 35 preclinical (animal/cell), 1 clinical (the Lee 2021 knee pain case series). Authors conclude BPC-157 should not be recommended for clinical use in musculoskeletal medicine until well-designed human trials are conducted.
Honest read
Independent research group with no financial conflict. Robust methodology. The conclusion reflects the actual state of the evidence. This is the most defensible summary position available.
NCT02637284 — Pilot Safety Study of BPC-157 (Phase I, Bepecin) (2015)
PharmaCotherapia (sponsor)
- Participants
- 42 healthy volunteers aged 18–35 (planned)
- Methodology
- Registered Phase I safety and pharmacokinetic study. Started 2015.
- Result
- Results submission was cancelled in 2016. No data ever published. No public explanation provided.
Honest read
This is the foundational human pharmacokinetic study that would have informed dosing for every subsequent use of BPC-157. Its cancellation — without publication and without explanation — is a meaningful signal about where human BPC-157 research actually stands. Proponents rarely mention it; skeptics rarely cite it. It belongs in any honest assessment.
Research timeline
- 1991
BPC first isolated from human gastric juice (Sikirić group, Zagreb).
- 2015
Phase I human trial launched (NCT02637284, 42 volunteers, sponsor PharmaCotherapia, registered as "Bepecin").
- 2016
Phase I trial submission cancelled. No results published. No public explanation.
- 2021
First published human case series: intra-articular injection for knee pain, n=16 (Lee & Padgett).
- 2022
Rat and dog pharmacokinetic study published; rodent half-life ~5–15 minutes (He et al.).
- 2022
WADA adds BPC-157 to the Prohibited List under S0 (Non-Approved Substances).
- 2023
FDA moves BPC-157 to Category 2 on the 503A bulks list (compounding prohibited, safety risk).
- 2024
Interstitial cystitis pilot published, n=12 (Lee, Walker & Ayadi).
- 2025
IV safety pilot published, n=2, up to 20 mg IV tolerated (Lee & Burgess).
- 2025
Systematic review for orthopaedic use (Vasireddi et al.): 544 articles screened, 1 qualifying clinical study, 35 preclinical. Authors recommend against clinical use pending proper trials.
- 2026
FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee reviews BPC-157 (free base and acetate) for possible move to Category 1 for ulcerative colitis. Public docket FDA-2025-N-6895, comments close July 22, 2026.
What we don't know
- Human pharmacokinetics — half-life, distribution, oral bioavailability are all unestablished.
- Long-term safety — no human follow-up past a few weeks of exposure.
- Cancer risk — BPC-157 upregulates angiogenesis (VEGFR2), the same pathway tumors exploit. Theoretical concern flagged in multiple reviews. No human cancer cases observed, but also no cohort large enough or followed long enough to detect them.
- Oral efficacy in humans — claimed in marketing but never demonstrated in a human trial.
- Optimal dose, route, frequency — all current protocols extrapolate from rat studies.
- Population safety — total published human exposure across all studies is approximately 30 people.
- Replication — nearly all efficacy claims derive from a single research group (Sikirić et al.) or from a single clinical group (Lee et al.).
Regulatory status
| Jurisdiction | Status | Details | Last Verified | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (FDA) | 503A Category 2 | FDA placed BPC-157 on the 503A bulks list as Category 2 in September 2023, citing potential significant safety risks (immunogenicity, impurity concerns, insufficient safety data). Category 2 means 503A compounding pharmacies cannot legally compound BPC-157 for human use. BPC-157 is also listed by the DoD Operation Supplement Safety program as a prohibited substance for Service Members. Sold commercially in the US only as a "research chemical, not for human consumption." | 2026-04-17 | |
| Canada (Health Canada) | Not Authorized | Not authorized by Health Canada. Not listed on the NNHPD natural health products database. No legal route for human prescription, compounding, or sale as a supplement. Import and possession for personal use sit in a legal grey area. | 2026-04-17 | |
| United Kingdom (MHRA) | Not Authorized | No MHRA marketing authorization. Functions as an unlicensed medicine. Research use only. | 2026-04-17 | |
| European Union (EMA) | Not Authorized | No EMA marketing authorization. | 2026-04-17 | |
| Australia (TGA) | Prescription Only | Classified as Schedule 4 (prescription-only) in Australia. Not TGA approved for any indication. | 2026-04-17 | |
| WADA | Prohibited (S0) | Prohibited at all times (in- and out-of-competition) under S0 — Non-Approved Substances. The 2026 WADA Prohibited List explicitly names BPC-157 as an example of a substance in this class. No Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) is available. | 2026-04-17 |
Safety profile
Reported side effects
- Injection-site irritation (subcutaneous)
- Mild nausea (oral use, anecdotal)
- Flushing, light-headedness (IV, reported in n=2 pilot only)
Theoretical concerns
Angiogenesis promotion in undetected malignancy
BPC-157 upregulates VEGFR2, the same pathway tumors exploit to establish blood supply. In people with undiagnosed cancer, promoting angiogenesis could theoretically accelerate tumor growth. No human cases reported — but also no long-term human cohort exists to detect them.
Severity: theoretical
Proliferative retinopathy
Same angiogenic mechanism. Patients with diabetic retinopathy or other proliferative eye conditions may theoretically worsen.
Severity: theoretical
Interaction with clotting pathways post-stroke or MI
BPC-157 affects NO signaling and endothelial function. Interaction with acute clot management is uncharacterized.
Severity: theoretical
Contraindications
- Active or suspected malignancy
- History of proliferative retinopathy
- Recent stroke or acute coronary event (precautionary)
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding (no data)
Interactions
- No formal interaction studies have been conducted in humans. Absence of known interactions should not be interpreted as absence of interactions.
Dosing observed in the literature
These are doses observed in published research, not dosing recommendations. BPC-157 is not approved for human use in any jurisdiction. No human pharmacokinetic data exists to support dose extrapolation. Content is for research reference only.
| Route | Range | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| subcutaneous | 10 μg/kg/day (rodent studies, extrapolated) | Most common research protocol in rodent studies. Human extrapolation is not validated. | PMC |
| intraarticular | 500–2000 μg per injection | Lee & Padgett 2021, n=16 knee pain case series | Source |
| intravesical | 10 mg bolus into bladder wall | Lee 2024, n=12 interstitial cystitis pilot | PubMed |
| intravenous | 10–20 mg infusion over 1 hour | Lee & Burgess 2025, n=2 IV safety pilot | PMID:40131143 |
Stability & handling
- Lyophilized shelf life
- Approximately 2 years at -20°C
- Lyophilized storage
- Freeze at -20°C or below; protect from light
- Reconstitution diluents
- Bacteriostatic water (preferred), Sterile 0.9% sodium chloride
- Reconstituted (refrigerated)
- Approximately 30 days at 2–8°C
- Reconstituted (room temp)
- Approximately 7 days at room temperature
- OK to refreeze
- No
- Light sensitive
- Yes — protect from light
Stability figures are based on common research-lab handling conventions, not peptide-specific stability-indicating studies.
Frequently asked questions
Is BPC-157 legal to buy?
In the US and Canada, BPC-157 is sold as a "research chemical, not for human consumption." It is not a scheduled controlled substance, so possession is not criminal, but it is not legal to compound, prescribe, or sell for human use. In Australia it is Schedule 4 (prescription-only). For WADA-tested athletes it is prohibited at all times under S0, with no Therapeutic Use Exemption available.
Why did the FDA restrict BPC-157?
The FDA moved BPC-157 to Category 2 of the 503A bulks list in September 2023, citing potential significant safety risks including immunogenicity concerns and insufficient safety data. Advocacy groups (Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, Evexias) have contested the decision, arguing the FDA did not publicly disclose the data behind the safety claims. A Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee review is underway in 2026 specifically for the ulcerative colitis indication.
Does BPC-157 actually work?
Honest answer: for what endpoint? In rodent tendon, muscle, and gut injury models, yes, consistently, across decades of research. In humans, there are three published studies totaling about 30 participants, none with placebo controls, all from the same clinical group in Florida. That is not zero evidence, but it is nowhere near the bar for clinical efficacy.
Does it work orally?
Gastric stability has been shown in vitro and in rats. No human study has ever demonstrated systemic absorption or oral efficacy for any clinical endpoint. The widespread marketing of oral BPC-157 is extrapolation from animal data.
Will BPC-157 make me fail a drug test?
For WADA-tested athletes (Olympic sports, UFC, NCAA at the national level, most international federations): yes, testing methods exist and BPC-157 use can be detected. It is prohibited at all times. Standard pre-employment and workplace drug panels do not screen for BPC-157.
What should I look for on a BPC-157 COA?
At minimum, a batch-specific certificate with HPLC purity, mass spectrometry confirmation of the correct molecular weight (1419.55 Da), and peptide content (not only stated purity — the two are different because acetate or TFA salt weight is often counted toward mass). Endotoxin testing is relevant for any injectable-intended peptide. ClearBatch's vendor pages show which vendors publish each of these signals for their BPC-157 batches.
What is "Pentadeca Arginate" and how does it relate to BPC-157?
Pentadeca Arginate (PDA, also called BPC-157 Arginate) is a salt form rebranded and marketed after the FDA moved BPC-157 to Category 2. Vendors market it as a "Category 1 compliant alternative." The pharmacology is essentially the same peptide with a different counterion; the regulatory claim is contested, and the peptide itself has no independent human research. Treat marketing claims about PDA with the same skepticism as BPC-157.
Last researched: Apr 17, 2026