What it is
BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide, a 15-amino-acid partial sequence of a protein isolated from human gastric juice. It appears in preclinical literature on soft-tissue repair, gastrointestinal mucosal integrity, and angiogenesis. It is not an approved medicine in any major market.
How it works
Research proposes that BPC-157 acts through angiogenic and cytoprotective signalling, including VEGF expression, activation of the FAK-paxillin pathway in fibroblasts, and interaction with the nitric oxide system. The mechanism is not established in humans.
Regulatory status
- Cosmetic ingredient
- Research compound
- In clinical trials
- Approved medicine
Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or the EMA. Some are registered in individual countries. Supplied for laboratory research only.
What published research is studying
- Tendon, ligament, and muscle healing in rodent injury models
- Tendon-to-bone reattachment after surgical transection in rats
- Gastrointestinal mucosal integrity and inflammatory bowel disease, explored in early clinical work as PL 14736
- Recovery after acute hamstring strain (Phase 2 trial, recruiting)
Key findings
In a rat Achilles tendon-to-bone transection model, BPC-157 groups showed higher Achilles functional index scores and significantly greater load to failure and stiffness than saline controls over 21 days.
Krivic A et al., J Orthop Res 2006In cultured rat tendon fibroblasts, BPC-157 accelerated outgrowth from tendon explants, increased cell survival under hydrogen peroxide stress, and raised migration, with dose-dependent FAK and paxillin phosphorylation.
Chang CH et al., J Appl Physiol 2011A rat medial collateral ligament transection study reported consistent functional, biomechanical, macroscopic, and histological improvement across 90 days of follow-up.
Cerovecki T et al., J Orthop Res 2010A 2025 systematic review of orthopaedic sports medicine literature included 36 studies, of which 35 were preclinical and 1 was clinical; in that retrospective series, 7 of 12 patients with chronic knee pain reported relief lasting more than 6 months.
Vasireddi N et al., HSS J 2025
What the studies measured
Study durations
- Rat Achilles tendon-to-bone study: outcomes assessed at days 1, 4, 7, 10, 14, and 21 (Krivic et al., J Orthop Res 2006).
- Rat medial collateral ligament study: healing followed for 90 days after transection (Cerovecki et al., J Orthop Res 2010).
- Phase 2 hamstring strain trial: MRI-assessed injury volume measured at day 14 (NCT07437547).
Endpoints
- Achilles functional index
- Load to failure, stiffness, and Young elasticity modulus
- Collagen fibre organisation on histology
- Vascular index and VEGF expression
- MRI-assessed injury volume
How strong is the evidence?
Human evidence is minimal. A 2025 systematic review identified 35 preclinical studies against a single retrospective clinical report, and found no published clinical safety data.
Common questions
Is BPC-157 an approved medicine?
Research compound. Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or the EMA. Some are registered in individual countries. Supplied for laboratory research only.
How much human research is there on BPC-157?
Human evidence is minimal. A 2025 systematic review identified 35 preclinical studies against a single retrospective clinical report, and found no published clinical safety data.
Does UU supply BPC-157?
Yes, as premium-grade research material for laboratory use. Every batch is tested by an independent lab and the certificate of analysis is published.