KPV

Also: alpha-MSH(11-13), Lys-Pro-Val

Healing & recovery Immune

Legal status United KingdomNot approved United StatesNot approved AustraliaNot approved

Research on peptidefix

4 papers: 4 animal studies.

Listed suppliers United Kingdom12 United States10 Australia8 Europe9

Checked 2026-11-03

Legal status as understood on this date. Listed, not endorsed. How we list.

Summary

KPV is a three-amino-acid peptide (lysine-proline-valine) that corresponds to the tail end of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a hormone involved in pigmentation and in damping inflammation. It is made synthetically. The published research is preclinical: cell culture, mice and rabbits.

What it targets

Work in human intestinal epithelial and T cell lines found that KPV reduced NF-kB and MAP kinase inflammatory signalling and lowered pro-inflammatory cytokine output at nanomolar concentrations, and that it enters cells through PepT1, a transporter for short peptides that is normally found in the small intestine and is induced in the colon during inflammatory bowel disease. In mice, KPV reduced the severity of two chemically induced forms of colitis, and in mice lacking a working melanocortin-1 receptor it still had an effect, which the authors read as partly receptor-independent. A separate line of work in rabbits found that topical KPV closed corneal epithelial wounds faster than vehicle, an effect blocked by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase. No human trial of KPV was found in the literature reviewed for this page.

intestinal inflammation in mouse colitis modelsinflammatory signalling in cultured human cellscorneal epithelial wound healing in rabbits

Clinical Research

PepT1-Mediated Tripeptide KPV Uptake Reduces Intestinal Inflammation

Dalmasso G, Charrier-Hisamuddin L, Nguyen HTT, et al. (2008). Gastroenterology. animal human intestinal epithelial and T cell lines, plus mice in two colitis models (DSS and TNBS)

Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease

Kannengiesser K, Maaser C, Heidemann J, et al. (2008). Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. animal mice, two colitis models (DSS colitis and CD45RB-high transfer colitis), plus mice carrying a non-functional melanocortin-1 receptor

Orally Targeted Delivery of Tripeptide KPV via Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Nanoparticles Efficiently Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis

Xiao B, Xu Z, Viennois E, et al. (2017). Molecular Therapy. animal cultured intestinal cells and macrophages, then mice with induced ulcerative colitis

Effects of the COOH-terminal tripeptide alpha-MSH(11-13) on corneal epithelial wound healing: role of nitric oxide

Bonfiglio V, Camillieri G, Avitabile T, et al. (2006). Experimental Eye Research. animal rabbits with surgically abraded corneal epithelium in both eyes, plus cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells

All research on KPV →

Suppliers stocking KPV

39 of the 49 listed suppliers. Each row opens its full listing.

Regulatory status

UKNot an approved medicine.

USNot an approved medicine. A draft HHS enforcement-discretion policy, published in the Federal Register on 30 October 2026, says HHS does not intend to take enforcement action against a state-licensed pharmacy, a federal facility or a licensed physician that compounds KPV acetate under section 503A, for topical and oral forms, while the FDA writes the 503A bulks list, when the policy's conditions are met. For an oral form, the policy expects the compounder to keep documentation that the specific formulation reaches an adequate level of oral bioavailability in humans. The policy does not approve KPV, does not add it to the 503A bulks list, and is not binding. It covers a product with KPV as the only active ingredient.

AUNot an approved medicine. Not listed by name in the Poisons Standard (October 2026).

Status as understood at 2026-11-03. Verify with the regulator in your country.

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