Peptide reference → Tissue repair & recovery → KPV

KPV

Research use

Tripeptide (3 amino acids)

Last updated 29 October 2026

KPV is a small peptide of three amino acids, taken from the tail end of a natural hormone involved in calming inflammation. It is studied mainly for inflammatory conditions of the gut. The evidence is early, and it is not a licensed medicine in the UK.

Key points

KPV is a tripeptide (lysine, proline, valine) derived from the end of alpha-MSH, a natural hormone.
It is studied for its anti inflammatory effects, particularly in the gut.
Most of the evidence is from laboratory and animal models rather than human trials.
It is not a licensed medicine in the UK and is sold only for research use.

Quick facts

What it is: Tripeptide, 3 amino acids (from alpha-MSH)
Studied for: Inflammation, particularly in the gut
UK status: Not a licensed medicine; sold for research use
Human evidence: Very limited; animal and cell models only

How it works

KPV comes from the active tail of alpha-MSH, a hormone that helps calm inflammation. Keeping just this short fragment is meant to retain the anti inflammatory effect while being more stable in the body. In laboratory and animal models it appears to quieten the signals that drive inflammation, which is why it has been looked at for conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.

What the evidence shows

The encouraging results come from cell and animal models of inflammation, including models of inflammatory bowel disease. What is missing is human evidence: there are no published trials establishing that it works or is safe in people, and no agreed dose.

What it does not settle

There are no human trials establishing benefit or safety.
There is no established human dose.
Products are not quality assessed, so purity and contents vary.

Side effects

Common

Side effects in people are not well characterised, as human use has not been properly studied.
As with any injected peptide, reactions at the injection site would be expected.

Less common but serious

Because there is no licensed product, the dose, purity and contents of material bought online cannot be verified.

Report any suspected side effect through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.

UK legal status and access

KPV has no UK marketing authorisation, so it is not a licensed medicine and is not offered by registered clinics or pharmacies. It is sold online labelled for research use. A research label does not mean a product has been assessed for safety, quality or dose.

Common questions

What is KPV?

A small three amino acid peptide from the tail of the hormone alpha-MSH, studied for its anti inflammatory effects, especially in the gut.

Does it work?

The animal and laboratory results are promising, but there is no human trial evidence yet.

Is it a licensed medicine in the UK?

No. It is sold only for research use and has no UK marketing authorisation.

The licensed route

Inflammatory gut conditions have licensed treatments and need proper diagnosis. A registered clinician can advise on options with evidence behind them.

Factual reference only, not medical advice. We give no dosing for unlicensed compounds.

← All peptides