Healing & Tissue Repair
BPC-157 — Molecular Weight, Sequence, Half-Life & Research Reference
BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide of putative gastric origin, studied almost entirely in rodent injury models and carrying no approved human indication anywhere in the world.
BPC-157 at a glance
- Compound
- BPC-157
- Classification
- Synthetic pentadecapeptide (BPC 1–15 fragment)
- Molecular formula
- C62H98N16O22
- Molecular weight
- 1,419.56 g/mol (free base, average)
- Amino acid count
- 15
- Amino acid sequence
- GEPPPGKPADDAGLV
- Reported half-life
- ~5–30 min (animal plasma); no human PK published
- Research status
- Not approved in any jurisdiction; literature is overwhelmingly preclinical
Values are reference figures compiled from the sources cited on this page, not batch specifications. Confirm against the certificate of analysis for any specific material.
01What is BPC-157?
BPC-157 is a linear pentadecapeptide — fifteen amino acids, sequence GEPPPGKPADDAGLV — corresponding to residues 1–15 of a sequence reported in human gastric juice and designated Body Protection Compound. Structurally it is the plainest molecule in this class: no acylation, no amidation, no non-natural residues, no disulfide bridges. That simplicity is why its molecular formula, C62H98N16O22, is unusually compact for a peptide of its length, and why almost all of the mass variation you will see on a certificate of analysis comes from counterion content rather than from the peptide itself.
One point of definition matters more than any other here: the full-length parent protein has never been independently isolated and characterised in the peer-reviewed literature. BPC-157 is therefore most accurately described as a synthetic peptide of putative gastric origin, not as a validated fragment of a confirmed human protein. Descriptions calling it a "naturally occurring" or "endogenous" peptide overstate what has been demonstrated.
BPC-157 should also be kept distinct from Pentadeca Arginate (PDA), which is marketed as an arginate salt of the same fifteen-residue backbone. Where the two share a peptide sequence they do not share an evidence base — the published literature belongs to BPC-157, and applying it to PDA is an extrapolation, not a citation.
02Molecular information
| Molecular formula | C62H98N16O22 |
|---|---|
| Molecular weight | 1419.56 g/mol (average / free base) |
| Amino acid count | 15 |
| Classification | Synthetic pentadecapeptide corresponding to residues 1-15 of the putative gastric juice protein BPC (Body Protection Compound); unmodified linear L-peptide, no natural full-length precursor has been independently isolated and characterised |
| CAS number | 137525-51-0 (free base / net peptide); 1628202-19-6 (acetate salt form supplied by Cayman Chemical) |
| PubChem CID | 9941957 |
| UNII / DrugBank | UNII 8ED8NXK95P (reported via Wikipedia/Wikidata; not independently confirmed against an FDA SPL record because BPC-157 is in no approved product). No DrugBank small-molecule entry. |
| Synonyms | Body Protection Compound 157, BPC 157, Bepecin, PL 14736, PL-10, PLD-116, gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157, GEPPPGKPADDAGLV |
Average mass 1419.56 g/mol computed from C62H98N16O22 using IUPAC standard atomic weights; this matches the 1419.556 g/mol figure carried by Wikipedia and the 1419.5 formula weight on Cayman Chemical's product insert. Calculated monoisotopic mass is 1418.70 Da — a ~0.86 Da offset that explains most apparent source disagreement when a supplier reports an MS-derived figure. The larger source of divergence is salt form: nearly all research-grade material is supplied as the acetate salt, written C62H98N16O22 · XC2H4O2 with a variable (non-stoichiometric) acetate count, so a certificate of analysis may quote a gross weight above 1419.56 while the net peptide content is lower. TFA salt from RP-HPLC purification behaves the same way (+114 Da per TFA). 'Pentadeca Arginate (PDA)' marketed material is claimed to be an arginine salt of this same 15-mer, which again changes gross mass without changing the peptide. No copper complex or hydrate form is standard for this peptide.
03Amino acid sequence
One-letter sequence
GEPPPGKPADDAGLV
Three-letter sequence
Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val
Structural modifications
None. Free N-terminal alpha-amine and free C-terminal carboxylic acid (no acetylation, no amidation). All residues are standard L-amino acids; no non-natural residues, no disulfide bonds (the sequence contains no cysteine), no cyclisation, no lipidation or PEGylation. The peptide's noted resistance to gastric acid/hydrolysis is attributed to its intrinsic sequence composition (three consecutive prolines) rather than to any chemical modification. Counter-ion (acetate, TFA, or arginate) is a salt, not a covalent modification.
04Pharmacokinetic information
| Reported half-life | Approximately 5-30 minutes in animal plasma; no published human pharmacokinetic half-life |
|---|
Half-life context
All published values are animal, from a single comprehensive PK study (Li et al., Front Pharmacol 2022) using validated LC-MS/MS. Rat: t1/2 15.2 min after IV 20 ug/kg; 7.87, 17.1 and 29.7 min after IM 20, 100 and 500 ug/kg. Beagle dog: t1/2 5.27 +/- 2.25 min after IV 6 ug/kg; 20.0 +/- 5.53, 25.5 +/- 7.08 and 29.3 +/- 5.06 min after IM 6, 30 and 150 ug/kg. IM bioavailability 14-19% (rat) and 45-51% (dog); clearance 50.1 mL/min/kg (rat IV) and 90.8 +/- 40.1 mL/min/kg (dog IV); Vss 36.4 mL/kg (rat) and 243 +/- 162 mL/kg (dog). That study evaluated IV and IM only — it did not test subcutaneous or oral routes, so the subcutaneous and oral half-lives widely quoted in non-scientific sources are not supported by it. These are plasma elimination half-lives of intact parent peptide; the compound is rapidly degraded to short fragments and free amino acids (proline predominating). Reported pharmacodynamic effects in rodent models persist far longer than plasma exposure, a PK/PD disconnect the authors themselves note. No human half-life has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
A peptide does not have one universal half-life. Reported values differ between plasma and terminal half-life, between species, between routes of administration, and between formulations and assay methods. Where sources disagree, this page gives the range and its context rather than a single number.
05Research focus
Primary research areas
- Gastrointestinal mucosal protection and ulcer models
- Tendon, ligament and muscle healing in rodents
- Angiogenesis via VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS signalling
- Nitric oxide system modulation
- Peripheral nerve and CNS injury models
- Preclinical pharmacokinetics and metabolism
Research context
BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide whose sequence corresponds to a fragment of a protein reported in human gastric juice. It is not a naturally purified product; all research material is chemically synthesised. The published literature is overwhelmingly preclinical and heavily concentrated in a small number of groups — a Polish review team quantified that the large majority of the roughly 200 BPC-157 records on PubMed list Predrag Sikiric or Sven Seiwerth among the main authors, a group active on this molecule since 1992 [4]. Rodent work spans gastric and intestinal ulceration, colitis, fistula models, transected Achilles tendon and ligament injury, muscle crush, and peripheral nerve transection, generally reporting accelerated healing versus vehicle [3]. In vitro, BPC-157 increased outgrowth, survival and migration of cultured rat tendon fibroblasts, with effects linked to FAK-paxillin signalling [2]. The mechanistic account most often advanced is promotion of angiogenesis through upregulation of VEGFR2 with downstream Akt-eNOS activation, alongside interaction with the nitric oxide system and modulation of ERK1/2 and several neurotransmitter systems [3]. No specific high-affinity receptor for BPC-157 has been identified, which remains a substantive gap in the mechanistic picture. Pharmacokinetics have been characterised properly only once: a rat and beagle dog study using validated LC-MS/MS found plasma half-lives under 30 minutes by both IV and IM routes, intramuscular bioavailability of 14-19% in rats and 45-51% in dogs, rapid metabolism to small fragments and free amino acids, and recovery of roughly 16% in urine, 9% in bile and 2% in feces over 72 hours [1]. Human data are minimal. An independent 2025 narrative review identified only three human pilot studies — covering intra-articular knee pain, interstitial cystitis, and intravenous safety/pharmacokinetics — reporting no adverse effects but lacking the scale and design to support efficacy conclusions, and concluded the compound should be regarded as investigational [3]. A 2015 registered oral safety trial was withdrawn without published results [4].
06Research evidence and limitations
There are no published, adequately powered, randomised controlled human efficacy trials for any indication. The three human pilot studies identified in an independent review were small, uncontrolled or single-arm, and cannot establish efficacy [3]. The preclinical base, though large, is not independent: most of it originates from one Croatian group and its collaborators, raising confirmation-bias and publication-bias concerns explicitly noted by outside reviewers [3][4]. Many rodent studies lack blinded outcome assessment and use supraphysiological or poorly justified dosing. No molecular target or receptor has been identified, so the proposed VEGFR2/NO mechanism remains inferential. The pharmacokinetic record covers only IV and IM dosing in rats and dogs [1]; the subcutaneous and oral regimens dominating actual use are pharmacokinetically uncharacterised, and the marked PK/PD disconnect — minutes of plasma exposure versus effects reported over days — is unexplained. Safety is genuinely unknown: FDA cited immunogenicity risk, peptide-related impurities and difficulty characterising the active ingredient [5]. A theoretical concern that induced angiogenesis could support tumour growth has been raised and has not been resolved. Common misreadings to avoid: preclinical healing signals are not evidence of human benefit; absence of reported adverse effects in tiny pilot studies is not a safety demonstration; and 'gastric juice derived' describes sequence provenance, not an endogenous human hormone with established physiology.
Regulatory status
Not approved as a drug by the FDA, the EMA, or any other national regulator, for any indication.
Compounding status, verified 21 August 2026. BPC-157 is not on the FDA's active Category 2 list of bulk drug substances that raise significant safety risks for section 503A compounding — a claim widely repeated elsewhere and incorrect against the current FDA page. It appears instead in the "nominated but withdrawn" table on that page, where the FDA records that compounded drugs containing BPC-157 "may pose risk for immunogenicity for certain routes of administration" and that the agency "lacks sufficient information to know whether the drug would cause harm when administered to humans" (page last updated 22 April 2026).
The FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee met on 23–24 July 2026 to consider BPC-157 (free base and acetate) for inclusion on the 503A Bulks List. The FDA's own briefing document of 11 May 2026 recommended against listing, concluding that the evaluation criteria "weigh against" placing either form on the list. Trade and general press reported that the committee nonetheless voted 8–6 in favour of recommending inclusion; the FDA had not posted minutes or a transcript for that meeting as of 21 August 2026, so the vote tally should be treated as press-reported. An advisory vote is not binding, and placement on the Bulks List would require notice-and-comment rulemaking, which has not occurred.
Anti-doping: prohibited by WADA as a non-approved substance under class S0, which applies at all times, in and out of competition.
This is an actively moving regulatory picture. Re-check the FDA compounding pages before relying on any statement in this section.
07Research material and sourcing notes
Reported research-use reconstitution information
Manufacturer technical documentation (Cayman Chemical product insert for BPC-157 acetate, item 30989) specifies the material as a solid of >=95% purity but does not publish solvent-specific solubility values or mg/mL figures; the insert directs users to the batch-specific certificate of analysis. No peer-reviewed publication retrieved documents a standardised reconstitution protocol. Source type: chemical supplier technical documentation. Specific solubility (mg/mL) and pH data are therefore recorded as NOT ESTABLISHED in the sources verified here rather than estimated. General note from the PK literature: the peptide is water-soluble and was dosed in aqueous saline vehicle in the rat and dog PK work. No dosing guidance is given or implied.
Reported storage and stability information
Lyophilised/solid: store at -20 degrees C; stated stability >=4 years as supplied (Cayman Chemical product insert, item 30989 — chemical supplier technical documentation). In-solution storage conditions and stability durations are not documented in the supplier insert or in any peer-reviewed source retrieved, and are recorded as not established rather than estimated.
Identity and sourcing notes
Two distinct CAS numbers circulate and are frequently conflated: 137525-51-0 refers to the free base/net peptide, while 1628202-19-6 designates the acetate salt actually shipped by most suppliers. Certificates of analysis should state which is being quoted, and whether the stated mass is gross salt weight or net peptide content — acetate content is typically non-stoichiometric (written C62H98N16O22 · XC2H4O2), so gross and net can differ by several percent. TFA is the other common counter-ion from RP-HPLC purification and carries its own mass and cytotoxicity considerations for cell work; a TFA-to-acetate exchange should be documented if claimed. 'Pentadeca Arginate' / 'PDA' is marketed as an arginine-salt version of this same pentadecapeptide and is not a different peptide, though the salt claim is rarely substantiated on a COA. Identity should be confirmed by ESI-MS or MALDI-TOF against the expected monoisotopic mass of 1418.70 Da (or average 1419.56), with purity by RP-HPLC at 214-220 nm; >=95% by HPLC is the common research-grade specification. Because the sequence is proline-rich, watch for deletion and Pro-Pro truncation impurities and for Asp-Gly aspartimide/isoaspartate rearrangement at the Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly region — these are near-isobaric or small-delta impurities that a low-resolution MS check can miss. Amino acid analysis or MS/MS sequencing is the stronger identity test. Grey-market material has repeatedly been reported as of unverified purity; supplier COAs should be batch-specific and dated, not generic.
Reconstitution ratios and storage windows are handling conventions that depend on the intended working concentration, the solvent, the container and the study design. They are reported here with their source and are not intrinsic properties of the molecule.
08References and evidence
Primary sources
- Pharmacokinetics, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of body-protective compound 157, a potential drug for treating various wounds, in rats and dogsprimary literature
- The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migrationprimary literature
- Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healingreview
- BPC-157: The peptide with big claims and scant evidencereview
- Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risksregulatory
- BPC-157: Experimental Peptide Creates Risk for Athletesregulatory
Chemical and molecular databases
- PubChem CID 9941957 (Bpc-157, C62H98N16O22)
- Cayman Chemical — BPC 157 (acetate), item 30989 (supplier technical documentation: purity, storage, formula weight)
- Cayman Chemical product insert PDF, item 30989
- Wikipedia — BPC-157 (used only for UNII and cross-check of molar mass)
Molecular identity and chemical properties on this page are compiled from the referenced scientific and chemical databases above. Pharmacokinetic values are reported from published literature where available. Handling information is attributed to its source type — published literature or manufacturer technical documentation — wherever it appears. Values vary by molecular form, salt form, formulation, assay methodology, species and study conditions.
10Frequently asked questions
What is BPC-157?
BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV) whose sequence corresponds to a fragment of a protein reported in human gastric juice. It is not an approved drug anywhere and is sold only as a research chemical. Nearly all published work is preclinical, and most of it originates from one research group in Croatia.
What is the molecular weight of BPC-157?
The average molecular weight of the free-base peptide is 1419.56 g/mol, from molecular formula C62H98N16O22. The calculated monoisotopic mass is 1418.70 Da. Research-grade material is usually supplied as an acetate salt with variable acetate content, so a certificate of analysis may quote a higher gross weight than the net peptide.
What is the amino acid sequence of BPC-157?
The one-letter sequence is GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, written in three-letter form as Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val. All fifteen residues are standard L-amino acids. The peptide carries no acetylation, amidation, lipidation, disulfide bonds or cyclisation: the N-terminus is a free amine and the C-terminus a free carboxylic acid. It corresponds to residues 1 through 15 of the reported gastric protein BPC.
What is the reported half-life of BPC-157?
In the only published pharmacokinetic study, plasma half-life was 15.2 minutes in rats after intravenous dosing and 5.27 minutes in beagle dogs, with intramuscular values of roughly 8-30 minutes in both species. No human half-life has been published. Subcutaneous and oral routes were not evaluated in that study.
What is BPC-157 studied for?
Reported preclinical investigation covers gastrointestinal ulcer and colitis models, tendon, ligament and muscle injury, and peripheral nerve damage, almost entirely in rodents. Proposed mechanisms centre on angiogenesis via VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS signalling and nitric oxide modulation. These are animal findings; human efficacy for any indication is not established.
Are there any human clinical trials of BPC-157?
An independent 2025 review identified only three human pilot studies, covering intra-articular knee pain, interstitial cystitis, and intravenous safety and pharmacokinetics. All were small and lacked control groups. A 2015 registered oral safety trial was withdrawn without publishing results. No randomised controlled efficacy trial has been published.
Is BPC-157 banned in sport?
Yes. WADA prohibits BPC-157 under class S0, Non-Approved Substances, which applies at all times — both in and out of competition. USADA states the rationale is that the compound is not approved for human clinical use by FDA or any other health authority and may cause adverse health effects, with no established safe dose.
Editorial and review information
- Compiled by
- NuGenia Research Editorial Team
- Scientific review
- Pending qualified reviewer
- Last reviewed
- Data confidence
- medium
This page is a molecular and bibliographic reference compiled from the sources cited above. It is not medical advice, and it does not describe or recommend any use of this compound in humans or animals.
8 data points on this page are held in the library’s verification queue for confirmation against a further primary source. Where a value is contested, the page says so in the relevant section rather than presenting a single figure.