BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide — a BPC-157 research peptide derived from a partial sequence of body protection compound, a protein isolated from human gastric juice. It is one of the most heavily studied compounds in the preclinical tissue-repair literature, with hundreds of rodent and cell-culture papers describing angiogenic, cytoprotective and growth-factor-related effects. This guide covers its structure, reported mechanisms, published evidence, laboratory handling and certificate-of-analysis checks, strictly for research use.
Key takeaways
- BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736, PL-10) is the pentadecapeptide GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, CAS 137525-51-0, C62H98N16O22, MW ≈ 1419.5 Da.
- It is a synthetic fragment of a larger gastric protein; the parent sequence was described by Sikiric and colleagues in Zagreb, who have published the bulk of the literature.
- Reported mechanisms in published research cluster around the nitric oxide (NO) system, VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS signalling, and upregulation of growth-factor receptors in fibroblasts.
- The evidence base is overwhelmingly preclinical: rodent models of tendon, ligament, muscle, gut and nerve injury, plus in-vitro migration and outgrowth assays.
- Human evidence is minimal — a registered Phase I safety study whose results were never submitted, and small pilot reports. A 2025 narrative review concluded the compound remains investigational.
- BPC-157 is notably stable in aqueous and acidic media compared with most short peptides, which is why gastric-juice stability appears repeatedly in the literature.
- It is listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency under category S0 (non-approved substances). GenoPept supplies it as lyophilised vials for laboratory research only.
What is BPC-157?
BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide — fifteen amino acids in the order Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val — corresponding to a partial sequence of body protection compound, a protein originally characterised in human gastric juice. In the literature it also appears as Body Protection Compound-157, BPC 157, PL 14736 and PL-10.
The compound entered the research literature through the Zagreb group led by Predrag Sikiric, whose reviews frame it within Robert’s classical concept of gastric cytoprotection and Selye’s stress-response work. Their central claim across two decades of papers is that a single short peptide produces protective and reparative effects across many organ systems in rodent injury models, without a carrier and across a wide range of administration routes.
For a laboratory buyer, the practical points are narrower: BPC-157 is a small, unmodified, water-soluble linear peptide with no disulfide bridges, no cyclisation and no fatty-acid conjugation. That makes it straightforward to synthesise by solid-phase methods, straightforward to analyse by HPLC and mass spectrometry, and unusually forgiving in solution compared with peptides that carry methionine or cysteine residues.
Sequence, structure and stability
BPC-157 is fifteen residues long, has a free N-terminus and C-terminus, and contains no cysteine, no methionine and no tryptophan. Its high proline content — five prolines, including a Pro-Pro-Pro run at positions 3–5 — gives the backbone a constrained, partly polyproline-like character that is generally associated with resistance to proteolysis.
Specification table
| Property | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Synonyms | BPC 157, Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736, PL-10, Bepecin | PL 14736 is the identifier used in early clinical development filings |
| Sequence | Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV) | 15 residues, linear, unmodified termini |
| CAS number | 137525-51-0 | Free-base form |
| Molecular formula | C62H98N16O22 | Free base |
| Molecular weight | ≈ 1419.5 g/mol | Acetate salt forms give a higher gross mass on the balance |
| Appearance | White to off-white lyophilised powder or cake | Low fill masses can look like a thin film rather than a cake |
| Solubility | Readily water-soluble; commonly prepared in bacteriostatic or sterile water | No co-solvent normally required at typical laboratory concentrations |
| Anti-doping status | Listed by WADA under S0, non-approved substances | Relevant to sports-science laboratories handling reference material |
BPC-157 mechanism: what published research describes
Published research does not attribute BPC-157 to a single named receptor. Instead, the literature describes a set of converging signalling observations: interaction with the nitric oxide system, activation and upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), and increased expression of growth-factor receptors and adhesion-complex proteins in cultured fibroblasts.
The NO strand is the oldest. Sikiric’s group reported repeatedly that BPC-157 counteracts the effects of the NO-synthase inhibitor L-NAME and interacts with L-arginine in rodent lesion models, and a 2025 literature and patent review summarised endothelial NO synthase as the peptide’s principal described interaction point.
The angiogenic strand is more mechanistically specific. Hsieh and colleagues reported in 2017 that BPC 157 increased expression and internalisation of VEGFR2 and activated a VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS cascade in endothelial cells, with the effect blocked by the endocytosis inhibitor dynasore — linking receptor trafficking directly to the signalling readout.
The tendon-fibroblast strand comes from Chang and colleagues. Their 2011 paper reported accelerated outgrowth from tendon explants, increased cell survival under hydrogen-peroxide stress, and dose-dependent increases in fibroblast migration accompanied by phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin. A 2014 follow-up reported that BPC 157 raised growth hormone receptor expression in the same cell type, with JAK2 activation downstream.
What the preclinical literature reports
The preclinical corpus is broad but structurally uneven: a very large number of rodent studies concentrated in a small number of laboratories, plus a smaller set of independent in-vitro papers. Understanding that shape matters more than counting citations.
| Model type | What was examined | Reported observation | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodent gastrointestinal lesions | Alcohol- and NSAID-induced injury, anastomoses, fistulas | Reduced lesion scores; fistula and anastomosis healing described across several rat models | Sikiric 2011; Sikiric 2020 |
| Rodent wound and burn models | Incisional, excisional, deep-burn and alkali-burn wounds | Effects described on the collagen–inflammatory cell–angiogenesis triad | Seiwerth 2021 |
| Tendon explant / fibroblast culture | Outgrowth, oxidative stress survival, migration | Accelerated explant outgrowth; dose-dependent migration; FAK and paxillin phosphorylation | Chang 2011 |
| Tendon fibroblast culture | Growth hormone receptor expression | Increased receptor expression at mRNA and protein level; JAK2 activation reported | Chang 2014 |
| Endothelial cells; CAM assay; hind-limb ischaemia | Angiogenic signalling and vessel formation | VEGFR2 upregulation and internalisation; VEGFR2-Akt-eNOS activation; increased vessel density | Hsieh 2017 |
| Review of patents and literature | Mechanistic and development landscape | NO system framed as the principal described interaction; no approved indication | Józwiak 2025 |
| Musculoskeletal narrative review | Quality of the evidence base | Three small human pilot studies identified; compound described as investigational | Cushman 2025 |
A recurring theme in the reviews is that BPC-157 was reported to work without a carrier molecule and across administration routes, which distinguishes it from conventional growth factors such as EGF, bFGF and VEGF that require delivery vehicles and degrade rapidly in gastric conditions. Whether that reflects genuine pharmacological robustness or the difficulty of blinding and standardising the models is exactly the open question that the 2025 reviews raise.
Human data and regulatory status
Human evidence for BPC-157 is thin. A Phase I safety study in healthy volunteers was registered in 2015 under the identifier NCT02637284, but the investigators withdrew submission of the results in 2016. Beyond that, the published record contains small retrospective and pilot reports rather than controlled trials.
The 2025 narrative review in Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine identified only three pilot studies examining BPC-157 in humans, reported no serious adverse events in them, and concluded that the compound should be considered investigational pending well-designed clinical trials. Earlier development under the PL 14736 identifier for inflammatory bowel disease did not reach approval.
BPC-157 is not an approved medicine in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. It appears on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list under category S0, which covers substances with no current approval for human therapeutic use by any governmental regulatory health authority. Some jurisdictions, including Australia and New Zealand, classify it as a prescription-only substance despite the absence of an approved product. Our UK legal guide covers the supply framework in more detail; this is general information, not legal advice.
Reconstitution, concentration reference and storage
BPC-157 dissolves readily in aqueous diluent and does not normally need a co-solvent. The values below are concentration references for preparing laboratory stock solutions from a lyophilised vial — they describe solution chemistry only.
- Equilibrate. Allow the vial to reach room temperature before opening or piercing, so condensation does not form on the cold lyophilised cake.
- Calculate first. Decide the target stock concentration in mg/mL before drawing diluent, using Table 3 or the reconstitution calculator.
- Add diluent slowly. Direct the stream down the inside wall of the vial rather than onto the cake. Foaming shears peptide and complicates later HPLC checks.
- Dissolve without shaking. Swirl gently or leave the vial to stand. Never vortex vigorously.
- Inspect. The solution should be clear and free of particulates. Haze or fibres indicate a problem with the material or the diluent.
- Label and record. Note the batch number, diluent, volume, resulting concentration and date on the vial and in the lab record.
| Peptide in vial | Diluent volume | Concentration | Amount per 0.1 mL | Approx. molarity (MW 1419.5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 1 mL | 5.00 mg/mL | 500 mcg | ≈ 3.52 mM |
| 5 mg | 2 mL | 2.50 mg/mL | 250 mcg | ≈ 1.76 mM |
| 5 mg | 3 mL | 1.67 mg/mL | 167 mcg | ≈ 1.17 mM |
| 10 mg | 1 mL | 10.00 mg/mL | 1000 mcg | ≈ 7.04 mM |
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 5.00 mg/mL | 500 mcg | ≈ 3.52 mM |
| 10 mg | 3 mL | 3.33 mg/mL | 333 mcg | ≈ 2.35 mM |
Because BPC-157 lacks cysteine and methionine, it is not vulnerable to the disulfide scrambling and methionine oxidation that dominate degradation in many other peptides. The realistic long-term concerns are slow backbone hydrolysis around the acidic Asp-Asp region, adsorption losses onto glass and plastic at very low concentrations, and microbial contamination in multi-draw vials — which is the argument for a preserved diluent such as bacteriostatic water when a vial will be accessed more than once.
Purity, COA and what to check on a batch
A meaningful BPC-157 certificate of analysis reports three things: identity, purity and the batch it belongs to. Identity comes from mass spectrometry — the observed monoisotopic or average mass should match the expected ≈1419.5 Da for the free base. Purity comes from reversed-phase HPLC, expressed as the main peak’s percentage of total peak area at a stated wavelength.
Check that the batch number on the COA matches the number printed on the vial you received, that the analysis date is plausible for the batch, and that the chromatogram itself is shown rather than only a summary figure. A purity claim without a visible chromatogram and a matching mass trace is a claim, not a measurement.
GenoPept publishes per-batch third-party COAs covering HPLC and MS at /coa-certificates/. The COA reading guide walks through an annotated example field by field.
BPC-157 in the GenoPept store
Frequently asked questions
What is the BPC-157 sequence?
BPC-157 is the pentadecapeptide Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val, written in one-letter code as GEPPPGKPADDAGLV. It is a synthetic partial sequence of body protection compound, a protein described in human gastric juice. The chain is linear, has free N- and C-termini, and carries no disulfide bridges or chemical modifications.
Does BPC-157 need to be refrigerated?
Lyophilised BPC-157 is normally stored cold and protected from light, and it tolerates short ambient excursions during shipping better than most peptides. Once reconstituted, the solution is considerably less stable than the dry powder and is kept refrigerated. Freeze-thaw cycling of working solutions is avoided; small aliquots are preferable to repeatedly disturbing one vial.
What is the molecular weight of BPC-157?
The free base has a molecular formula of C62H98N16O22 and a molecular weight of approximately 1419.5 g/mol, with CAS number 137525-51-0. Material supplied as an acetate salt weighs more per stated milligram of net peptide, which is why COAs distinguish HPLC purity from net peptide content.
Is BPC-157 approved as a medicine?
No. BPC-157 has not been approved by any drug regulatory agency. A Phase I safety study registered in 2015 never had its results submitted, and published human evidence is limited to a small number of pilot and retrospective reports. A 2025 narrative review concluded the compound remains investigational pending well-designed clinical trials.
Why is BPC-157 described as stable in gastric juice?
The stability claim originates in the Zagreb group’s reviews, which describe the peptide as resistant to human gastric juice for extended periods — a contrast they draw with conventional growth factors that degrade rapidly in acid. Structurally, the high proline content and absence of oxidation-sensitive residues are consistent with unusual resistance to proteolysis.
What is the difference between BPC-157 and PL 14736?
They refer to the same 15-amino-acid peptide. PL 14736 (and PL-10) are development identifiers used when the compound was being investigated for inflammatory bowel indications. BPC-157 is the name used across the preclinical literature. A COA may list either designation alongside the CAS number 137525-51-0.
How is BPC-157 purity measured?
Purity is measured by reversed-phase HPLC and reported as the main peak’s share of total peak area at a stated detection wavelength, typically 214 or 220 nm. Identity is confirmed separately by mass spectrometry against the expected ≈1419.5 Da mass. A credible certificate shows both traces, not just a headline percentage figure.
Why are BPC-157 and TB-500 discussed together?
They are studied in overlapping tissue-repair literatures but through different described mechanisms: BPC-157 around nitric oxide and VEGFR2 signalling, and thymosin β4 fragments around actin sequestration and cell migration. That complementarity is why they appear together in research blends. Our comparison guide sets them side by side.
References
- Sikiric P, Seiwerth S, Rucman R, et al. Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157: novel therapy in gastrointestinal tract. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2011;17(16):1612–1632. PubMed
- Sikiric P, Hahm KB, Blagaic AB, et al. Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157, Robert’s stomach cytoprotection/adaptive cytoprotection/organoprotection, and Selye’s stress coping response: progress, achievements, and the future. Gut and Liver. 2020;14(2):153–167. doi:10.5009/gnl18490
- Seiwerth S, Milavic M, Vukojevic J, et al. Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and wound healing. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2021;12:627533. doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.627533
- Chang CH, Tsai WC, Lin MS, Hsu YH, Pang JHS. The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2011;110(3):774–780. PubMed
- Chang CH, Tsai WC, Hsu YH, Pang JHS. Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 enhances the growth hormone receptor expression in tendon fibroblasts. Molecules. 2014;19(11):19066–19077. doi:10.3390/molecules191119066
- Hsieh MJ, Liu HT, Wang CN, et al. Therapeutic potential of pro-angiogenic BPC157 is associated with VEGFR2 activation and up-regulation. Journal of Molecular Medicine. 2017;95(3):323–333. doi:10.1007/s00109-016-1488-y
- Józwiak M, Bauer M, Kamysz W, Kleczkowska P. Multifunctionality and possible medical application of the BPC 157 peptide — literature and patent review. Pharmaceuticals. 2025;18(2):185. doi:10.3390/ph18020185
- Cushman DM, et al. Regeneration or risk? A narrative review of BPC-157 for musculoskeletal healing. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2025;18(12):611–619. doi:10.1007/s12178-025-09990-7
Research-grade BPC-157, batch-verified
GenoPept supplies BPC-157 as lyophilised vials with a per-batch third-party certificate of analysis covering HPLC purity and mass-spectrometry identity, dispatched from the UK, strictly for laboratory research.