15-mer · gastric peptide
Pre-clinical · Phase II

BPC-157

Body Protection Compound-157

Pentadecapeptide from human gastric juice. Drives angiogenesis, tendon/ligament repair, and the gut-brain axis. The most-discussed healing peptide in biohacker culture and the most-replicated in pre-clinical animal data.

First published 1991
Mechanism Angiogenic, FAK-paxillin, NO pathway
7-mer · TB4 fragment
Pre-clinical · Phase II

TB-500

Thymosin Beta-4 active fragment

Synthetic version of the active region of Thymosin Beta-4. Actin-sequestering peptide driving cell migration, cardiac repair, and wound-healing acceleration. The peptide that built the modern systemic-recovery category.

First published 1981
Mechanism G-actin sequestration, VEGF upregulation
3-mer · copper-bound
Cosmeceutical · Approved

GHK-Cu

Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper complex

Copper-binding tripeptide that resets ~4,000 genes toward youthful expression patterns. The most-cited peptide in cosmeceutical research, with strong dermal regeneration and antioxidant evidence.

First published 1973
Mechanism Gene-expression reset, copper-enzyme cofactor
4-mer · pineal regulator
Clinical · Phase III

Epithalon

Pineal tetrapeptide bioregulator

Khavinson's tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) — telomerase activator with decade-spanning Russian longevity trials. The most extensive human-trial dataset of any peptide in the longevity space.

First published 1981
Mechanism Telomerase activation, pineal melatonin support
5-mer · ghrelin mimetic
Pre-clinical · Phase II

Ipamorelin

Selective ghrelin-mimetic GH secretagogue

The cleanest of the GHS class — selectively activates GHS-R1a without the cortisol/prolactin spillover of older GHRPs. The workhorse of modern GH-axis stacking protocols.

First published 1998
Mechanism GHS-R1a agonism, somatostatin suppression
30-mer · GHRH analog
Clinical · Phase II

CJC-1295

Long-acting GHRH analog (DAC and no-DAC)

Albumin-binding GHRH analog. The DAC variant extended half-life from minutes to days, making once-weekly sustained GH-axis stimulation feasible for the first time.

First published 2005
Mechanism GHRH-R agonism, albumin reservoir (DAC)
29-mer · GHRH 1-29
FDA-approved · Withdrawn

Sermorelin

GHRH 1-29 — the FDA-approved benchmark

The first 29 residues of endogenous GHRH. FDA-approved for pediatric GH deficiency in 1997; remains the benchmark against which every subsequent GHRH analog is compared.

First published 1982
Mechanism Native GHRH-R agonism, pulsatile GH release
EDITORIAL
Coverage criteria

We profile peptides with at least three independent peer-reviewed publications and a documented mechanism. Compounds in earlier pre-clinical phases are tracked on the pipeline page rather than profiled here. Cosmetic-only compounds (Argireline, Matrixyl, etc.) are out of scope.