Skip to content
PeptideHormone

KPV

The anti-inflammatory C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH.

Research peptidePreclinicalCompounding restricted

Three residues from the tail of α-MSH, still carrying the anti-inflammatory half of the message. Brevity taken to its limit.

Identity

Class
Tripeptide (Lys-Pro-Val) — α-MSH(11-13)
Source
Synthetic; the C-terminal fragment of α-MSH
Receptor
Anti-inflammatory action largely receptor-independent; gut uptake via the PepT1 transporter

Key properties

Evidence floorCommunityREF1COMM1
Molecular weight
~342.4 Da
REF
Half-life (native)
Minutes (poorly characterized)
COMMHalf-life is poorly characterized in humans. The figure is indicative of order-of-magnitude, not an established value.

Approximate values for the native hormone; engineered analogs are often deliberately larger and far longer-acting. Each figure carries its own provenance tier, and the floor is the weakest of them - the Standard.

Mechanism

KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH (residues 11-13) and carries much of α-MSH's anti-inflammatory activity without its pigmentation or appetite effects. In cell and animal models it dampens NF-κB signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and in the gut it is taken up intact via the PepT1 transporter — an effect that appears largely independent of the classical melanocortin receptors.

Reference notes

  • It reproduces α-MSH's anti-inflammatory effect while dropping the pigment- and appetite-related actions of the parent peptide.
  • Much of its activity is receptor-independent and, in the intestine, mediated by the PepT1 peptide transporter.
  • Evidence is preclinical — cell and rodent models, notably colitis; controlled human data are absent.

Regulatory status

United States · reviewed September 2026
Compounding restrictedKPV is an unapproved substance the FDA has placed in Category 2 of its 503A bulk-substances list, citing significant safety risks, so it may not lawfully be compounded.
Basis
FDA 503A bulk-substances list, Category 2 (substances that may present significant safety risks), September 2023. In July 2026 the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 8–6 with one abstention to recommend adding it to the 503A list, against FDA staff advice; the vote is non-binding and the status stands pending rulemaking.

Status describes the molecule as a drug substance under US law and is an editorial reading of the public record — approvals, trial registrations, and the FDA 503A bulk-substances list. It is not legal advice and it changes; the review date above is the last time the table was checked. Other jurisdictions are noted only where they differ materially.

Common questions

What is KPV?
The anti-inflammatory C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH. Structurally it is Tripeptide (Lys-Pro-Val) — α-MSH(11-13).
How does KPV work?
KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide of α-MSH (residues 11-13) and carries much of α-MSH's anti-inflammatory activity without its pigmentation or appetite effects. In cell and animal models it dampens NF-κB signaling and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and in the gut it is taken up intact via the PepT1 transporter — an effect that appears largely independent of the classical melanocortin receptors.
How strong is the evidence for KPV?
PeptideHormone grades KPV at the "Preclinical" evidence tier — the evidence is largely animal or in-vitro, with human data thin or absent. It is catalogued as a community research peptide outside the approved-drug system, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.
What is the half-life of KPV?
The reported circulating half-life of KPV is Minutes (poorly characterized).
Is KPV FDA-approved?
No — as of September 2026, KPV is an unapproved substance the FDA has placed in Category 2 of its 503A bulk-substances list, citing significant safety risks, so it may not lawfully be compounded. FDA 503A bulk-substances list, Category 2 (substances that may present significant safety risks), September 2023. In July 2026 the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 8–6 with one abstention to recommend adding it to the 503A list, against FDA staff advice; the vote is non-binding and the status stands pending rulemaking. Status is US-centric and can change; check the FDA record for the current position.

In the literature

Live registry counts · retrieved
Registered trialsREF
0
  • Ph 10
  • Ph 20
  • Ph 30
  • Ph 40
Open on ClinicalTrials.gov
PubMed recordsREF
66
Since 202219 · 29%
Open on PubMed

Searched as KPV. Counts are search hits from the primary registries, not a curated set and not a grade – a measure of how much work exists on KPV, not how it turned out.

Selected literature

Curated peer-reviewed reviews, sourced from PubMed. Selected for relevance, not exhaustive — open any entry on PubMed for the full record and its primary citations.

  1. 1.Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease · Inflammatory bowel diseases, 2008 · PMID 18092346
  2. 2.PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation · Gastroenterology, 2008 · PMID 18061177
  3. 3.Effects of the COOH-terminal tripeptide alpha-MSH(11-13) on corneal epithelial wound healing: role of nitric oxide · Experimental eye research, 2006 · PMID 16965771