KPV: clinical evidence record
Also known as: Lysine-Proline-Valine tripeptide, alpha-MSH (11-13)
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-22
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AI-friendly summary · KPV
Smaller literature base than BPC-157 or TB-500. Anti-inflammatory effects reported in rodent ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease models. No phase II or III human RCTs published.
Mechanism of action
How KPV works
C-terminal tripeptide (Lysine-Proline-Valine) of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Retains anti-inflammatory activity of the parent alpha-MSH molecule in preclinical models, without the MC1R-mediated pigmentation effects.
Top peer-reviewed citations
Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on KPV. Where a verified PMID or DOI is shown, the citation links to the original record. Other citations list the title, authors, journal and year so the reader can locate the paper through the journal index or the PubMed search linked below. PeptideClear publishes editorial commentary, not clinical guidance.
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Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and related tripeptides: biochemistry, antiinflammatory and protective effects in vitro and in vivo, and future perspectives for the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases
Brzoska T, Luger TA, Maaser C, et al.. Endocrine reviews, 2008.
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Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease
Kannengiesser K, Maaser C, Heidemann J, et al.. Inflammatory bowel diseases, 2008.
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Antiinflammatory activity of a COOH-terminal fragment of the neuropeptide alpha-MSH
Hiltz ME, Lipton JM. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 1989.
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PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation
Dalmasso G, Charrier-Hisamuddin L, Nguyen HT, et al.. Gastroenterology, 2008.
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Lysine-proline-valine peptide attenuates hepatic lipid accumulation through ROS-dependent regulation of the PPARγ pathway in HepG2 cells
Lee JY, Lee J, Jung WK, et al.. Cytotechnology, 2026.
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A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review
Coutinho LFD, DE Oliveira Neves LF, Camilo RP. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 2026.
Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=KPV+alpha-MSH+tripeptide.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, no interventional trials for KPV are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. This is itself informative: much of the KPV evidence base is preclinical, which is why the evidence grade above matters.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry, refreshed 2026-07-13. See the peptide clinical-trials tracker for the full picture across compounds.
UK regulatory status
Plain-English summary of where KPV sits under the four UK and international frameworks that govern peptide supply. Editorial commentary, not legal advice.
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: Not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
- Psychoactive Substances Act 2016: Not scheduled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
- MHRA medicines classification: No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine.
- WADA Prohibited List: Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List.
Risks and unknowns
What the literature does not yet show about KPV
Known concerns
- The published work on KPV is preclinical. Findings in rodent or in vitro models do not establish that the same thing happens in people, and the step from an animal model to a human outcome is where most candidate compounds fail.
- The body of published work on KPV is small, at 6 papers in our record. A thin literature means individual findings carry more weight than they should, and one contrary result can change the picture.
- There are no registered interventional clinical trials for KPV on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. Nobody is currently running the study that would answer the safety and efficacy questions.
- KPV holds no UK marketing authorisation, so nothing you can buy has been assessed by a regulator, released by batch, or dispensed by an accountable pharmacy. Purity, dose accuracy and sterility rest entirely on the seller's own documentation.
Open questions in the literature
- Human pharmacokinetics for KPV have not been formally characterised, so how much reaches circulation, for how long, and what the body does with it are open questions.
- Interactions between KPV and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
- Whether tissue-repair findings in animal injury models translate to the kinds of injury people actually present with, at the timescales they present at, has not been established.
Regulatory note
No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine. Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List. The moment a UK seller or commentator makes a therapeutic claim, MHRA can treat the product as an unlicensed medicinal product.
Important: PeptideClear publishes encyclopedia commentary only and does not recommend human use. Speak to a UK-registered prescriber before any medical decision.
Related reading on PeptideClear
Frequently asked questions
What is the evidence level for KPV?
What is the UK regulatory status of KPV?
Has KPV been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for KPV?
Last verified 2026-05-22. Editorial commentary, not legal or clinical advice. Citations without a linked identifier can be located through the PubMed search and the journal index.