What Is KPV Peptide?
KPV is a tripeptide, a chain of just three amino acids: lysine (K), proline (P) and valine (V). The name is simply those three single-letter codes. At a molecular weight of about 342 g/mol, it is one of the smallest compounds in any research peptide catalogue.
KPV is not an invented sequence. It is the C-terminal end, positions 11 to 13, of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, a 13 amino acid hormone cut from the larger precursor protein pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC). Alpha-MSH is best known for its role in skin pigmentation, but it also has anti-inflammatory activity, and researchers found that much of that activity is retained in this three amino acid fragment.
What Does KPV Do? KPV Anti-Inflammatory Research
KPV is used in research on inflammation, and most of the published work focuses on the gut:
- Intestinal inflammation. A 2008 study in Gastroenterology reported that KPV reduced inflammation in mouse models of colitis.
- Transport into cells. The same work showed that KPV is carried into intestinal cells by PepT1, a transporter for di- and tripeptides that is more active in inflamed gut tissue. This is a large part of why KPV is studied in the gut specifically.
- Inflammatory signalling. Inside the cell, KPV is reported to damp down NF-kappa B and MAP kinase signalling, two pathways that switch on the production of inflammatory cytokines.
- Targeted delivery. Later studies packaged KPV into nanoparticles designed to release it in the colon, work that reflects how seriously the compound is taken as a research tool.
Almost all of this research is preclinical, in cell culture and animal models. Browse the papers, with links to each, in our KPV research library.
KPV vs Alpha-MSH and Melanotan
Because KPV comes from alpha-MSH, buyers sometimes assume it behaves like the tanning peptides. It does not. Melanotan 1 and Melanotan II are full-length or cyclic alpha-MSH analogues designed to activate the melanocortin receptors that drive pigmentation. KPV keeps only the final three amino acids, and its anti-inflammatory activity is generally described as working through routes other than those pigmentation receptors. For research on inflammation without the pigmentation pathway, that separation is the whole reason to use KPV.
KPV 10mg Vial
Chainwell Peptide supplies KPV as a single 10mg lyophilized vial, a 3 mL clear glass vial with a rubber stopper and blue flip-off cap. KPV has no copper and no chromophore, so the cake is white, unlike the blue of GHK-Cu or KLOW.
A 10mg fill is a generous amount of a peptide this small: at around 342 g/mol, 10mg is roughly 29 micromoles of KPV, many times more molecules than the same mass of a large peptide. For most lab work a single vial goes a long way.
KPV Capsules and Oral KPV
We supply KPV as a lyophilized vial only, not as capsules. Searches for KPV capsules and oral KPV make sense given the research: the colitis studies relied on KPV reaching the gut, where the PepT1 transporter takes it up. But a capsule fixes the amount per unit, while a vial lets you prepare KPV at the concentration and in the vehicle your study design calls for. If your work needs an oral peptide in a pre-measured solid format, see our BPC-157 capsules.
KPV With BPC-157 and GHK-Cu
KPV is often researched alongside the tissue repair peptides. KLOW combines KPV with GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 in a single 80mg vial, and KPV is the component that separates KLOW from three-peptide blends. Our advice: buy the single KPV vial when your study needs to measure or adjust KPV on its own, and the blend only when your protocol already uses all four together. See the full range of immune research peptides.
Reconstituting KPV 10mg
Let the vial reach room temperature, wipe the stopper with an alcohol swab, and add bacteriostatic water slowly down the inside wall with a U-100 insulin syringe. Swirl gently until the solution is clear. As a worked example, 2 mL of water in the 10mg vial gives 5mg of KPV per mL. Our peptide reconstitution guide and calculator works out other volumes. Keep the reconstituted vial at 2 to 8 °C, protected from light, and use it within 28 days.
Lab-Tested KPV With a COA for Every Lot
With a peptide as short as KPV, identity testing matters: a three amino acid sequence is easy to get wrong and hard to tell apart by appearance. Every Chainwell Peptide KPV lot is sent to an independent laboratory before release, where identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry against the expected mass and purity is measured by HPLC. A lot that does not meet specification is not sold. Check your lot on our COA lookup page, and see our guide on how to read a certificate of analysis.
Buy KPV Peptide in Australia
Chainwell Peptide supplies KPV peptide in Australia to laboratories, universities and independent researchers, packed and dispatched from within Australia. Before you buy KPV from any supplier, check that the listing states the fill, that the vial carries a lot number, and that the certificate for that lot is available before you pay.
- Same-day dispatch on orders paid before 3pm on a business day.
- Australia-wide delivery to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin and regional addresses, by standard or express post.
- PayID or bank transfer, with your order number as the payment reference.
- Tracked orders you can follow on our order tracking page.
The current price is shown at the top of this page, with GST included. See our shipping policy for delivery details.
KPV Peptide Specifications
| Compound | KPV (lysyl-prolyl-valine) |
|---|---|
| Sequence | Lys-Pro-Val (K-P-V) |
| Origin | Alpha-MSH, amino acids 11 to 13 |
| Molecular formula | C16H30N4O4 |
| Molecular weight | Approximately 342.4 g/mol |
| Fill | 10mg per vial |
| Form | Lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder, white |
| Container | 3 mL clear glass vial, rubber stopper, blue flip-off cap |
| Identity testing | Mass spectrometry, per lot |
| Purity testing | HPLC, per lot |
| Diluent | Bacteriostatic water, sold separately |
| Storage | Minus 20 °C long term, 2 to 8 °C short term, protect from light |
| Shipping | Standard or express post, Australia-wide |
Storing KPV Peptide
Unopened KPV keeps longest frozen at minus 20 °C in its carton, away from light, or at 2 to 8 °C for work planned within a few weeks. Once reconstituted, refrigerate the vial and use it within 28 days. Our peptide storage guide covers handling in more detail.
Research Use Only
KPV is not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for any therapeutic use. Chainwell Peptide sells it strictly for laboratory and in vitro research. It is not for human or veterinary use, and we do not provide dosing advice. By ordering you agree to our terms and conditions and research use only statement.
KPV tools and guides
KPV FAQ
What is KPV peptide?
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KPV is the tripeptide lysine-proline-valine, the last three amino acids (positions 11 to 13) of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It is studied for the anti-inflammatory activity it keeps from that hormone, mainly in models of intestinal inflammation. Chainwell Peptide supplies it as a 10mg lyophilized research vial.
What does KPV do?
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In research, KPV is studied as an anti-inflammatory peptide. Published work reports that it enters intestinal cells through the PepT1 transporter and damps down NF-kappa B signalling, and a 2008 study found it reduced colitis in mice. Nearly all of this research is preclinical.
Is KPV the same as Melanotan?
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No. Melanotan 1 and Melanotan II are alpha-MSH analogues designed to activate the melanocortin receptors that drive pigmentation. KPV is only the final three amino acids of alpha-MSH, and its anti-inflammatory activity is generally described as independent of those pigmentation receptors.
Do you sell KPV capsules?
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No. Chainwell Peptide supplies KPV as a 10mg lyophilized vial only, which lets you prepare it at the concentration and in the vehicle your study needs. If your research design calls for an oral peptide in a pre-measured solid format, our BPC-157 capsules are the capsule product we stock.
How do you reconstitute KPV 10mg?
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Add bacteriostatic water slowly down the inside wall of the vial and swirl gently until clear, without shaking. 2 mL of water in the 10mg vial gives 5mg of KPV per mL. Store the reconstituted vial at 2 to 8 °C, protected from light, and use it within 28 days.
Where can I buy KPV peptide in Australia?
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You can buy KPV peptide in Australia from Chainwell Peptide as a 10mg lyophilized vial, or as part of the KLOW blend. Every lot carries a lot number matched to an independent certificate of analysis, and orders paid before 3pm on a business day ship the same day by standard or express post.
