Category
Healing & Regeneration
Peptides studied for tissue regeneration, wound healing, and repair.
BPC-157
Body Protection Compound 157
15-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from gastric juice; the most widely used research peptide for tissue repair, with primarily rat-model evidence and three small human studies.
GHK-Cu
Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper(II) complex
Naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide identified in 1973; cosmetic ingredient with documented skin and wound-healing effects, no injectable FDA approval.
Pentadeca Arginate
Pentadeca Arginate (PDA)
Modified BPC-157 derivative with arginate salt form; marketed as improved-stability healing peptide with no published human trials.
TB-500
TB-500 (Thymosin Beta-4 active fragment / synthetic Tβ4)
Synthetic actin-binding fragment of thymosin beta-4. Used off-label for soft-tissue repair. FDA Category 2 since 2023, WADA-prohibited, no Phase 3 human trials.
Teriparatide
Teriparatide (Forteo, rhPTH 1-34)
Recombinant N-terminal fragment of parathyroid hormone, FDA-approved 2002 for severe osteoporosis with high fracture risk.
Thymosin Beta-4
Thymosin Beta-4 (Tβ4, full-length 43-amino-acid peptide)
An endogenous 43-amino-acid peptide expressed in virtually all human cells. Sequesters G-actin and supports tissue repair. RegeneRx Phase 2 trials in wound healing and dry eye. Not FDA-approved. WADA-banned for athletes.
Healing Peptides for Tissue Repair
Healing peptides are compounds studied for effects on tissue repair, wound healing, and recovery from soft-tissue injury. The category is large in user reports and thin in human controlled-trial data.
BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid synthetic peptide derived from a partial sequence of body protection compound, originally isolated from human gastric juice. Sikiric and colleagues at the University of Zagreb have published more than 100 rat studies since 1993 reporting accelerated repair of tendon, ligament, muscle, and gastrointestinal tissue. No randomized controlled human trial has been published. The compound is sold as a research chemical and is not approved for human use by the FDA or EMA.
TB-500 (a synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4) and GHK-Cu (a copper-binding tripeptide) sit in a similar position. Preclinical data on actin reorganization, angiogenesis, and copper-dependent matrix remodeling is extensive. Human RCT data is absent for TB-500 and limited to small cosmetic-dermatology studies for GHK-Cu in topical form.
Pentadeca arginate is a newer BPC-157 analog promoted as a more stable derivative. The published literature is sparse and concentrated in industry-funded reports.
Across this category, the gap between mechanism evidence and clinical evidence is the recurring problem. Mechanistic plausibility supports continued investigation. It does not justify treating these compounds as established therapies.
Doping flag. BPC-157 sits in WADA monitoring contexts. TB-500 is explicitly prohibited under WADA section S2.
Each compound entry on PeptScope names the strongest preclinical finding, the available human data, and the regulatory status by jurisdiction.