Category
Immune & Anti-Inflammatory
Immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory peptides.
KPV
Lysine-Proline-Valine (α-MSH 11-13)
Tripeptide C-terminal fragment of α-MSH with NF-κB-modulating anti-inflammatory activity in gut and skin models; preclinical only.
LL-37
Cathelicidin LL-37 (hCAP-18)
The only human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide; broad-spectrum activity but dual pro/anti-inflammatory profile limits clinical translation.
Thymosin Alpha-1
Thymosin Alpha-1 (Tα1, thymalfasin)
28-amino-acid immune-modulating peptide approved as Zadaxin in 35+ countries for chronic hepatitis B. Not FDA-approved. FDA Category 2 since September 2023.
VIP
VIP (Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide, 28-amino-acid neuropeptide)
A 28-amino-acid neuropeptide discovered in 1970 by Said and Mutt. Acts on VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors. Phase 2 sarcoidosis trial (Prasse 2010). Off-label use in CIRS and mold illness via the Shoemaker protocol. Not FDA-approved.
Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Peptides
Anti-inflammatory peptides act on immune signaling through receptor binding, cytokine modulation, or direct antimicrobial activity. Mechanisms vary widely across the category.
Thymosin alpha-1 (Zadaxin) is the most clinically developed entry. The 28-amino-acid peptide is approved in more than 35 countries for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and as an adjuvant to influenza vaccination in immunocompromised patients. It modulates T-cell maturation and shifts the Th1/Th2 balance. It is not FDA-approved in the United States.
LL-37 (cathelicidin) is a host-defense peptide produced by neutrophils and epithelial cells. It has direct antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, and some enveloped viruses, plus immunomodulatory effects on macrophages. Synthetic LL-37 has been studied in early clinical trials for chronic wound infection and as a topical agent in melanoma research.
KPV (Lys-Pro-Val) is the C-terminal tripeptide of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Preclinical work points to anti-inflammatory activity in colitis models. Human trial data is limited to small pilots.
VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) and several Khavinson bioregulators also have inflammation-related literature, though their primary classifications sit elsewhere on the site.
The clinical landscape is uneven. Thymosin alpha-1 has the strongest dataset. Most other compounds in this category sit on early-clinical or preclinical evidence. Several are Research Use Only in the United States and the European Union.
Each entry on PeptScope reports the trial dataset by indication, the approval status in the markets where one exists, and the published mechanism.