BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide — a chain of 15 amino acids — that has been studied
in laboratory and animal models examining collagen-associated signalling, angiogenesis and gastric mucosal biology. This page summarises
what the published literature describes about its identity, origin and the research areas in which it has been
investigated, together with the limits of that evidence.
The material itself is supplied for laboratory research use only; product specifications, pricing and availability
are on the BPC-157 product page.
Identity and naming
BPC-157 is catalogued by PubChem under CID 9941957 with the molecular formula C62H98N16O22
and a molecular weight of approximately 1419.5 g/mol. In the primary literature it is most often written
“BPC 157” or described as “stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157”; the name derives from
“body protection compound”, the designation used by the Croatian research group that has published the
majority of the work on it.
Its sequence is Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV), a linear peptide with a free N-terminus and a free C-terminal carboxylic acid; the formula above follows directly from that sequence.
The peptide is described in that literature as a partial sequence related to a protein fraction isolated from gastric
juice. Researchers should note that the relationship between the synthetic 15-residue peptide and any endogenous parent
protein is a claim made within that research programme rather than an independently established fact, and it is worth
reading the primary papers directly rather than relying on secondary summaries.
Research areas described in the literature
Published work on BPC 157 is overwhelmingly preclinical — cell culture and rodent models. The main themes are:
- Tendon and soft-tissue models. Chang and colleagues reported effects on tendon fibroblast outgrowth,
survival and migration in rat tendon explants and cultured fibroblasts, and linked the migration effect to FAK–paxillin pathway activation. - Angiogenesis. Hsieh and colleagues reported that pro-angiogenic activity in their model was
associated with VEGFR2 activation and up-regulation. - Gastrointestinal and musculotendinous models. Seiwerth and colleagues reviewed BPC 157 alongside
standard angiogenic growth factors; Japjec and colleagues examined myotendinous junction endpoints in rats.
These are descriptions of what the cited studies measured. They are not statements about outcomes in humans.
Evidence hierarchy: what exists and what does not
This distinction matters more for BPC 157 than for most research peptides, because the volume of preclinical
publication can be mistaken for clinical validation.
| Evidence tier | Status for BPC 157 |
|---|---|
| In vitro / cell culture | Present across several laboratories |
| Animal models | Extensive, but concentrated in a small number of research groups |
| Controlled human trials | Not established in the published literature |
| Regulatory approval | None |
A second limitation is concentration of authorship: a large share of the published BPC 157 literature originates from
a single group, which reduces the independent replication that would normally support confidence in a finding.
Related materials in this catalog
BPC-157 is also supplied as one constituent of two multi-compound research formulations,
GLOW and KLOW. Research findings for an individual constituent do not
transfer to a finished multi-compound formulation; see GLOW vs KLOW for how those
two differ in composition.
Research use only
All materials referenced here are supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research. Nothing on this page is a
protocol, a recommendation, or guidance for use in humans or animals.
References
Chang C.H. et al. (2011). J Appl Physiol (1985), 110(3):774–80. PMID 21030672.
Hsieh M.J. et al. (2017). J Mol Med (Berl), 95(3):323–333. PMID 27847966.
Seiwerth S. et al. (2018). Curr Pharm Des, 24(18):1972–1989. PMID 29998800.
Japjec M. et al. (2021). Biomedicines, 9(11):1547. PMID 34829776.
PubChem. BPC-157 — Compound Summary, CID 9941957. National Library of Medicine.