PEPTIDES BY NAME
Peptides by Name: A Reference Guide
Eighteen commonly discussed research peptides, in plain English — what they are, what stage of research or approval they're actually at, and what the safety literature says. No dosing, ever.
Eighteen commonly discussed research peptides, in plain English — what they are, what stage of research or approval they're actually at, and what the safety literature says. No dosing, ever.
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Get my free report + free book →Every peptide on this list is at a different point in a very wide regulatory spectrum. A few are FDA-approved prescription medications with specific, narrow indications. Others are "research use only" (RUO) substances with no completed human trials at all. Some sit in a genuine gray zone — not currently flagged by the FDA's compounding-safety review, but also never cleared or approved for human use. Conflating any of these is exactly the kind of blurring this site exists to prevent.
For each compound below, we cover: the category it belongs to, what it is at a conceptual, mechanism level, its actual research/regulatory status (verified against FDA, PubMed, and NIH sources where possible), and known safety-signal considerations. We do not include dosing amounts, injection frequencies, or protocols anywhere on this site — that conversation belongs with a licensed physician who knows your health history. See our guide to evaluating peptide research for how to read the underlying studies yourself.
A scannable summary before the detail below. "Withdrawn" means an FDA Category 2 compounding-safety nomination was later withdrawn — not a safety clearance. Jump to any row's full entry using the links.
| Peptide | Category | FDA / regulatory status | Key safety flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | GLP-1 agonist | FDA-approved (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) | Boxed warning: thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents |
| Tirzepatide | GLP-1/GIP agonist | FDA-approved (Mounjaro, Zepbound) | Boxed warning: thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents |
| Tesamorelin | GHRH analog | FDA-approved, narrow indication (Egrifta) | Contraindicated with active malignancy |
| Sermorelin | GHRH analog | Formerly approved (Geref), now compounded only | Limited off-label adult safety data |
| CJC-1295 | GHRH analog | RUO; Cat. 2 nomination withdrawn | Limited controlled human safety data |
| Ipamorelin | Ghrelin-receptor agonist | RUO; active FDA Cat. 2 flag | Immunogenicity risk cited by FDA |
| MK-677 | GH secretagogue (non-peptide) | Investigational; not a legal supplement ingredient | Insulin resistance, weight gain (DEA advisory) |
| BPC-157 | Tissue-repair | RUO; no completed human trials (USADA) | No established human safety profile |
| TB-500 | Tissue-repair | RUO; Cat. 2 nomination withdrawn | Theoretical cell-growth pathway overlap |
| GHK-Cu | Copper tripeptide | OTC topical cosmetic ingredient only | Sparse data for injectable/systemic use |
| Thymosin Alpha-1 | Immune-modulating | Approved abroad (Zadaxin); not FDA-approved | Caution with autoimmune conditions |
| KPV | Anti-inflammatory fragment | RUO; essentially no human trial data | Safety in humans largely unestablished |
| Bremelanotide (PT-141) | Melanocortin agonist | FDA-approved, narrow indication (Vyleesi) | Transient blood pressure rise |
| Melanotan II | Melanocortin agonist | Not approved; illegal to sell for human use | Melanoma cases reported in FDA review |
| Selank | Neuropeptide | Rx nasal spray in Russia only; RUO in U.S. | Evidence base not independently replicated |
| Semax | Neuropeptide | Rx nasal spray in Russia only; RUO in U.S. | Evidence base not independently replicated |
| DSIP | Sleep-related neuropeptide | Not approved; small legacy trials only | Mixed results even in older studies |
| Epitalon | Peptide bioregulator | RUO; Cat. 2 nomination withdrawn | Very limited human safety data |
Category: GLP-1 receptor agonist (metabolic peptide).
What it is: A synthetic peptide that mimics GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), a hormone the gut releases after eating. It activates GLP-1 receptors, which affects insulin secretion, appetite signaling, and how quickly the stomach empties.
Research/regulatory status: FDA-approved prescription medication, marketed under different brand names for different indications — Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy for chronic weight management. The FDA has also approved an oral formulation for cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk.
Safety-signal considerations: Gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, vomiting) are the most commonly reported. U.S. labeling carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors observed in rodent studies; relevance to humans is unknown, and the drug is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of certain thyroid cancers.
Sources: NIH StatPearls — Semaglutide; PubMed; FDA oral-semaglutide CV approval announcement.
Category: Dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist (metabolic peptide).
What it is: A synthetic peptide engineered to activate both GLP-1 and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptors — two related incretin-hormone pathways — rather than one.
Research/regulatory status: FDA-approved, marketed as Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (chronic weight management; the FDA has also approved Zepbound for a related weight-associated condition).
Safety-signal considerations: Gastrointestinal effects are common and dose-related. Like semaglutide, labeling includes a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodent studies.
Sources: Drugs.com — Zepbound FDA approval history; WebMD — FDA approval coverage.
Category: GHRH (growth hormone-releasing hormone) analog.
What it is: A synthetic analog of GHRH — it doesn't introduce growth hormone directly, it signals the pituitary gland to release more of the body's own. This class is often called a "secretagogue" for that reason.
Research/regulatory status: FDA-approved, marketed as Egrifta (and newer formulations Egrifta WR / Egrifta SV), for one specific, narrow indication: reduction of excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It is not approved for general fat loss, athletic, or anti-aging use.
Safety-signal considerations: Can raise IGF-1 levels; associated with joint pain, swelling, and reduced glucose tolerance. Growth-hormone-axis stimulators like this are generally contraindicated in people with active malignancy.
Sources: Managed Healthcare Executive — FDA approval coverage; Fierce Biotech — original FDA approval.
Category: GHRH analog (growth-hormone axis peptide).
What it is: A shorter GHRH analog with a similar mechanism to tesamorelin — it prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone rather than supplying it directly.
Research/regulatory status: This one requires precision. Sermorelin was once sold as an FDA-approved product (Geref), used mainly to diagnose and treat pediatric growth hormone deficiency. That branded product was later discontinued from the market by its manufacturer. Today, sermorelin is typically obtained through compounding pharmacies rather than as a currently FDA-approved product on the market — "was once approved" and "is currently an approved product you can buy" are not the same thing.
Safety-signal considerations: Injection-site reactions, headache, and flushing are commonly reported in the historical literature. Long-term safety data for off-label adult use is limited compared to its original pediatric-diagnostic indication.
Sources: Drugs.com — Sermorelin patient guidance; FDA — Geref (sermorelin) approval documentation.
Category: GHRH analog, research compound.
What it is: A modified, longer-acting GHRH analog developed to extend how long GHRH signaling persists compared with the natural hormone.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for any human use; sold as "research use only." It was nominated for the FDA's Category 2 list of bulk substances presenting significant safety risk for compounding — that nomination was later withdrawn by the nominator. Withdrawal from the review queue is not the same as an approval or safety clearance; it remains an unapproved substance.
Safety-signal considerations: Controlled human safety data is limited. It shares theoretical, class-wide concerns with other growth-hormone-axis stimulators, such as fluid retention and changes in insulin sensitivity.
Source: FDA — Category 2 bulk drug substances list.
Category: Ghrelin-receptor agonist / growth hormone-releasing peptide, research compound.
What it is: A pentapeptide that mimics ghrelin, activating the growth hormone secretagogue receptor to prompt GH release.
Research/regulatory status: This is a case worth flagging directly: "Ipamorelin acetate" currently appears on the FDA's active Category 2 list of bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks for compounding — unlike several other peptides on this page whose nominations were withdrawn, Ipamorelin's flag is current. It is not FDA-approved for any human use.
Safety-signal considerations: The FDA's own review cites immunogenicity risk tied to the peptide's unnatural amino acid content. Broader literature on growth-hormone-releasing peptides in this class includes reports of serious adverse events, including death, with intravenous administration in some settings.
Source: FDA — Category 2 bulk drug substances list.
Category: Growth hormone secretagogue — but importantly, not a peptide.
What it is: A small, non-peptide molecule that mimics ghrelin to stimulate growth hormone and IGF-1 release. It's included here because it's constantly discussed alongside peptides, but its chemistry is different — it's orally active, which most true peptides are not, because peptides are typically broken down by digestion.
Research/regulatory status: Investigational. Not FDA-approved for any human use, and not lawful as a dietary supplement ingredient. It is also prohibited for use in athletic competition.
Safety-signal considerations: A DEA public-health advisory lists insulin resistance, increased appetite and weight gain, joint pain, and cardiovascular changes observed in research as reasons it has not advanced past investigational status.
Category: Tissue-repair / recovery peptide, research compound.
What it is: A synthetic pentadecapeptide (15 amino acids) based on a fragment identified in human gastric juice, studied mainly in animal models for gut, tendon, and soft-tissue healing.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for any human use. Per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's own review, there are no completed human clinical trials establishing its efficacy or safety for any condition — the evidence base is almost entirely preclinical. It was nominated for the FDA's Category 2 compounding-safety list; that nomination was later withdrawn, which is not the same as a safety clearance. It is prohibited for athletes under the World Anti-Doping Agency's "non-approved substances" category.
Safety-signal considerations: Per USADA, it is not established whether there is a safe human dose or any way to use it safely for a specific condition — the honest answer is that this hasn't been studied in people.
Source: USADA — BPC-157 peptide review.
Category: Tissue-repair peptide, research compound.
What it is: A synthetic fragment of thymosin beta-4, a naturally occurring protein involved in regulating actin (a structural protein central to cell movement), studied for potential roles in cell migration and wound healing.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for human use; sold research-use-only. Its FDA Category 2 nomination was later withdrawn. It is used off-label in veterinary and equine contexts, including horse racing, where it is a banned substance in competition.
Safety-signal considerations: Robust human safety-trial data does not exist. Some literature on actin-regulating peptides in this family raises theoretical questions about overlap with cell-growth pathways relevant to tumor biology — a reason for caution, not a demonstrated human risk.
Source: FDA — Category 2 bulk drug substances list.
Category: Copper-binding tripeptide, primarily a cosmetic/topical ingredient.
What it is: A naturally occurring human tripeptide (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) that binds copper. It has been studied extensively for gene-expression and tissue-remodeling effects, mostly in topical, in vitro, and animal research.
Research/regulatory status: Widely used, and reasonably well-established, as an ingredient in over-the-counter topical cosmetic products — that is its most defensible use. It is not FDA-approved as a drug for any systemic or injectable indication; injectable use is off-label and research-use-only.
Safety-signal considerations: Topical use is generally well-tolerated in the published cosmetic-science literature. Safety data for injectable or other systemic use in humans is comparatively sparse.
Sources: PMC — The potential of GHK as an anti-aging peptide; PMC — Regenerative and Protective Actions of GHK-Cu.
Category: Immune-modulating peptide.
What it is: A synthetic version of a naturally occurring thymic peptide involved in regulating T-cell-mediated immune responses.
Research/regulatory status: Approved in a number of other countries (marketed as Zadaxin) for uses such as chronic hepatitis B and as an immune-system adjunct — but it is not FDA-approved for any indication in the United States. It has been studied in randomized controlled human trials for other uses, including a multicenter phase 3 trial for sepsis; this remains an active, evolving research area rather than a settled, approved use.
Safety-signal considerations: Its FDA Category 2 compounding nomination was withdrawn. As with any immune-modulating agent, effects on immune function in people with autoimmune conditions or on immunosuppressive therapy warrant physician-level evaluation rather than self-directed use.
Sources: PubMed — TESTS phase 3 sepsis trial; PMC — sepsis meta-analysis; FDA — Category 2 list.
Category: Anti-inflammatory peptide fragment, research compound.
What it is: A tripeptide (lysine-proline-valine) derived from the C-terminal portion of alpha-MSH (melanocyte-stimulating hormone), studied in cell and animal models for anti-inflammatory signaling, including in gut-inflammation models.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for any human use; sold research-use-only. Its FDA Category 2 nomination was withdrawn. Published human clinical trial data is essentially absent — nearly all available research is preclinical (cell-based or animal).
Safety-signal considerations: Because human trials are lacking, safety in people — including interactions and long-term effects — is largely unestablished. This is a clear example of "promising in a petri dish" not yet meaning "proven in a person."
Category: Melanocortin receptor agonist, sexual-health peptide.
What it is: A synthetic peptide, structurally related to alpha-MSH, that activates melanocortin-4 receptors involved in sexual-desire pathways in the brain.
Research/regulatory status: FDA-approved, marketed as Vyleesi (approved in 2019), for a specific, narrow indication: acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. It is not FDA-approved for men or for general use, despite sometimes being marketed that way.
Safety-signal considerations: Nausea is common; it can cause a transient rise in blood pressure and, in some cases, skin/gum hyperpigmentation with repeated use. It is not recommended for people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or known cardiovascular disease.
Sources: Drugs.com — Vyleesi FDA approval history; PubMed — Bremelanotide: First Approval; FDA — Vyleesi prescribing information.
Category: Melanocortin receptor agonist, research compound.
What it is: A synthetic analog of alpha-MSH that broadly activates melanocortin receptors. It was originally studied for tanning and is, notably, the parent compound from which bremelanotide (PT-141, above) was later derived and refined.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for any use, including tanning. It is illegal to sell for human consumption in the U.S. and several other countries, yet it continues to circulate as a gray-market, research-use-only product.
Safety-signal considerations: FDA safety-review materials on the Category 2 nomination process note reported cases of melanoma (skin cancer) temporally associated with Melanotan II use, alongside nausea, flushing, and spontaneous erections. That melanoma signal is a key reason this compound is treated with more caution than bremelanotide, which underwent a distinct, FDA-regulated development and approval process.
Category: Neuropeptide / nootropic, research compound (Russian origin).
What it is: A synthetic heptapeptide related to the naturally occurring immune peptide tuftsin, studied primarily in Russia for anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) and cognitive effects.
Research/regulatory status: Approved as a prescription nasal-spray product in Russia for anxiety-related conditions. Not FDA-approved for any use in the United States; sold domestically as research-use-only.
Safety-signal considerations: Most human data comes from Russian-language research that has not been widely replicated in Western, FDA-regulated trials. Independent safety data outside that research tradition is limited.
Category: Neuropeptide / nootropic, research compound (Russian origin).
What it is: A synthetic peptide derived from a fragment of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), studied for cognitive and neuroprotective effects.
Research/regulatory status: Approved as a prescription nasal-spray product in Russia, including for conditions like post-stroke recovery. Not FDA-approved in the United States; sold domestically as research-use-only.
Safety-signal considerations: As with Selank, the evidence base is concentrated in Russian research literature rather than independent, large-scale trials run under U.S. regulatory oversight.
Category: Sleep-related neuropeptide, research compound.
What it is: A naturally occurring peptide first isolated from rabbit brain tissue in the 1970s, studied in a handful of small human trials for effects on sleep architecture.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for any use. A small number of older human studies exist from the 1980s and early 1990s, but they did not lead to drug development or regulatory approval, and modern independent replication is limited. It's currently sold research-use-only.
Safety-signal considerations: Modern human safety data is sparse. Even the legacy studies had mixed results — some reported modest effects on sleep, others found no significant benefit over placebo.
Sources: PubMed — DSIP in chronic insomnia, double-blind study; PubMed — Acute and delayed effects of DSIP on human sleep.
Category: Peptide bioregulator, research compound.
What it is: A synthetic tetrapeptide (4 amino acids) associated with research out of a specific line of Russian pineal-gland and aging research, studied mostly in animal models for effects related to pineal gland function and telomerase activity.
Research/regulatory status: Not FDA-approved for any human use; sold research-use-only. Its FDA Category 2 nomination was withdrawn. A large share of the foundational research originates from one research group and has not been independently replicated in large-scale human trials.
Safety-signal considerations: Human safety data is very limited. The headline mechanism claims (such as "telomerase activation") often outpace what's been directly demonstrated in controlled human studies — see our research literacy guide for how to weigh claims like this yourself.
Several entries above mention the FDA's Category 2 list of bulk drug substances that "may present significant safety risks" for use in pharmacy compounding. This is worth explaining once, clearly: substances get nominated to this review process, the FDA evaluates the safety data behind them, and the outcome is either that a substance stays on the active Category 2 list (a current, standing safety flag — as is the case for Ipamorelin acetate, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, and Kisspeptin-10 at the time of writing) or the nomination is withdrawn.
A withdrawn nomination is not the same as an FDA safety clearance or approval. It simply means that particular review isn't currently active. None of the peptides discussed on this page — regardless of Category 2 history — are FDA-approved for the research or off-label uses they're commonly marketed for. Only the specific branded, FDA-approved drugs noted above (semaglutide, tirzepatide, tesamorelin, and bremelanotide, each for their specific labeled indication) have gone through the full FDA approval process.
Source: FDA — Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding That May Present Significant Safety Risks.
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