BPC-157 is a synthetic peptide of 15 amino acids whose sequence was derived from a protein found in human gastric juice. The name stands for "Body Protection Compound 157". Since the early 1990s, BPC-157 has been studied in many animal and cell models, mainly for tendon, ligament, muscle and gut tissue. This overview explains where the peptide comes from, how it is built, what the preclinical studies investigated, what remains unknown and how BPC-157 is classified today.
Where BPC-157 comes from: a fragment of a gastric protein
BPC-157 goes back to the research group of Predrag Sikirić at the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Zagreb, Croatia. In the early 1990s, the group described a protective protein in human gastric juice and called it BPC. In a 1993 overview, Sikirić and colleagues presented the idea that the stomach starts a protective response to stress that also involves other organs. BPC-157 is a short partial sequence of this larger protein. It was synthesised so that researchers could study one defined fragment instead of the whole protein.
Most of the early publications on BPC-157 come from the same group in Zagreb. Later reviews point this out as a limitation. Gwyer and colleagues (2019) noted that only a handful of research groups had performed in-depth studies on the peptide over the previous two decades.
BPC-157 structure: sequence and molecular data
As a chain of 15 amino acids, BPC-157 is a pentadecapeptide. If you want to know how amino acids form a chain and why the order matters, our guide What are peptides? explains the basics. The key data of BPC-157 are:
- Sequence: Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val (short form GEPPPGKPADDAGLV)
- Molecular formula: C62H98N16O22
- Molecular weight: approx. 1,419 Da
- CAS number: 137525-51-0
- Form as supplied: lyophilised (freeze-dried) white powder
Two features of the sequence stand out. First, it contains four proline residues, three of them in a row. Proline makes a peptide chain more rigid. Second, it contains two acidic residues (aspartic acid) next to each other in the middle of the chain. The molecular weight is the value that mass spectrometry checks in a certificate of analysis. A signal at about 1,419 Da confirms that the vial contains BPC-157.
What preclinical studies on BPC-157 investigated
Preclinical means that the studies took place in cell cultures or in animals, mostly rats and mice. The published BPC-157 research falls into three main groups.
Tendon, ligament and muscle models
The largest group of studies used rat models of injured tendons, ligaments and skeletal muscle. Examples are models of a cut Achilles tendon, a damaged knee ligament or a crushed muscle. The researchers measured outcomes such as tissue structure under the microscope, the strength of the tissue and the function of the limb. Gwyer and colleagues (2019) reviewed these studies in Cell and Tissue Research. They reported that the studies described positive outcomes, but that most of them used small rodent models and that the results were not confirmed in humans.
Gut mucosa models
Because of its origin in gastric juice, BPC-157 was first investigated in models of the stomach and intestinal lining (the mucosa). These studies looked at lesions caused by alcohol, by anti-inflammatory drugs or by stress in rats. This line of research is the starting point of most later work.
Blood vessel formation and the nitric oxide pathway
A third group of studies looked for a mechanism. Seiwerth and colleagues (2018) reviewed work on BPC-157 and angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels. Other studies examined the nitric oxide (NO) system, a signalling pathway that controls the width of blood vessels. A systematic review by Vasireddi and colleagues (2025) summarised reports that BPC-157 increased the expression of growth hormone receptors and of genes involved in cell growth and blood vessel formation in these models.
What is not known about BPC-157
The preclinical literature on BPC-157 is large. The human data are very small. The systematic review by Vasireddi and colleagues, published in 2025 in the HSS Journal, searched the literature up to June 2024. It included 36 studies. Of these, 35 were preclinical and 1 was a small retrospective clinical study. The authors found no clinical safety data.
Several questions therefore remain open:
Whether the results from rodent models apply to humans is not known.
The review found no randomised controlled trial in humans.
The exact mechanism of action is not established.
Most studies come from one research group, and independent replication is limited.
No medicines authority in the EU or the US has approved BPC-157 as a medicine. Statements about an effect of BPC-157 in humans are not supported by the current data. This is why BPC-157 is sold only as a research compound for laboratory work.
BPC-157 and the WADA Prohibited List
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes a list of prohibited substances every year. The 2026 Prohibited List names BPC-157 as an example in class S0, "non-approved substances". This class covers pharmacological substances that no government health authority has approved for human therapeutic use. Substances in class S0 are prohibited at all times, in and out of competition. Athletes who are subject to anti-doping rules can commit a rule violation through use or possession. The current list is available on the WADA website.
Storage and handling of BPC-157 in the laboratory
As lyophilised powder in a sealed vial, BPC-157 is stable. Keep sealed vials at -20 °C for long-term storage, or at 2 to 8 °C for a few weeks, dry and away from light. After reconstitution with bacteriostatic water, the solution belongs in the refrigerator at 2 to 8 °C and should be used within a short period. Repeated freezing and thawing of a solution damages the peptide. Our guide on freeze-thaw cycles and peptide stability explains the four factors that shorten the usable life of a vial.
For documented batches, a certificate of analysis reports identity by mass spectrometry and purity by HPLC. Send us the lot number printed on your vial, and we send the report for that batch.
BPC-157 at peptidebio: single vials and blend
We supply BPC-157 as lyophilised powder in sealed glass vials of 5 mg and 10 mg. For research designs that study BPC-157 together with TB-500 at a fixed ratio, the BPC-157 / TB-500 blend contains 10 mg of each compound in one vial. All products ship from our warehouse in the Netherlands and arrive across Europe in 1 to 3 working days with tracking.
Frequently asked questions about BPC-157
Is BPC-157 the same as TB-500?
No. BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid fragment of a gastric protein. TB-500 is a synthetic peptide based on a segment of thymosin beta-4, a protein found in almost all mammalian cells. The two compounds are often studied in the same research areas, which is why a blend exists.
Is BPC-157 stable in solution?
Like other peptides, BPC-157 is much less stable in solution than as dry powder. Reconstitute only the amount a protocol needs, keep the solution at 2 to 8 °C and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Is BPC-157 an approved medicine anywhere in the EU?
No. As of 25 October 2026, BPC-157 has no marketing authorisation as a medicine in the EU.
Sources on BPC-157
Sikirić P, Petek M, Rucman R, et al. (1993). A new gastric juice peptide, BPC. An overview of the stomach-stress-organoprotection hypothesis and beneficial effects of BPC. Journal of Physiology (Paris) 87(5):313–327. PubMed 8298609
Seiwerth S, Rucman R, Turkovic B, et al. (2018). BPC 157 and Standard Angiogenic Growth Factors. Gastrointestinal Tract Healing, Lessons from Tendon, Ligament, Muscle and Bone Healing. Current Pharmaceutical Design 24(18):1972–1989. PubMed 29998800
Gwyer D, Wragg NM, Wilson SL (2019). Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing. Cell and Tissue Research 377(2):153–159. PubMed 30915550
Vasireddi N, Hahamyan H, Salata MJ, et al. (2025). Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review. HSS Journal 21(4):485–495. PubMed 40756949
World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List (2026). wada-ama.org
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a medicine, supplement, food or cosmetic. This overview summarises published research and is not dosing or medical advice.